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A  Lady  teaching  h-er  little  brother  and  the  Author,  prior  to  the  latter 
redeeming  his  mother,  who  remains  with  the  lady.  The  author  goes 
to  his  new  home,  carrying  with  him  obedience,  truth,  honesty,  willing 
at  all  times  to  receive  good  instruction,  by  which  means  he  was  treat- 
ed as  one  of  the  family,  and  wanted  for  nothing. 


THE 

LOOKING-GLASS: 

BEING 

A  TRUE  REPORT  AND  NARRATIVE  OP  THE  LIFE, 
TRAVELS,  AND  LABORS 

OP   THE 

KEY.  DANIEL  H.  PETERSON, 

A  COLORED   CLERGYMAN; 

Embracing  a  period  of  time  from  the  year  1812  to  1854, 

AND  INCLUDING 

HIS    VISIT    TO    WESTERN     AFRICA. 

WITH     ENGRAVINGS 


NEW- YORK: 
WRIGHT,  PRINTER,  146  FULTON  STREET. 

1854. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  IS'4, 

By  Rev.  Daniel  H.  Peterson, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 

Southern  District  of  New-York. 


PREFACE 


The  author  of  this  work  has  for  a  long 
time,  been  greatly  concerned  for  this  land  and 
nation,  and  for  the  human  family  in  general ; 
but,  more  particularly,  for  the  unfortunate 
African,  both  in  this  and  every  other  part  of 
the  world  which  he  has  seen  or  read  of.  The 
Author  desires,  and  his  prayer  is,  that  tran- 
quillity, peace,  and  happiness  may  cover  the 
earth,  as  the  waters  cover  the  great  deep. 

Forasmuch  as  there  has  been  a  great  deal 

of  confusion  in  relation  to  my  afflicted  nation, 

and  different  parties  holding  opposite  opinions 

•  have  come  forward  with  a  design  to  alleviate 

£)  their  condition,  which  good  intentions  have 


VI  PREFACE. 

all  failed,  therefore  I  have  made  it  a  matter 
of  prayer,  if  perad venture  I  might  be  enlight- 
ened with  respect  to  the  best  plan  for  the  re- 
lief of  the  colored  people.  I  now  feel  that  1 
am  able  to  answer  this  great  question  in  full. 
First,  It  is  necessary  to  become  Chris- 
tians, to  love  and  fear  God,  and  keep  his  com- 
mandments, to  have  patience,  and  faith  in  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ :  then  we  shall 
be  delivered  in  due  time.  Secondly,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  the  pages  of  this  work 
Please  read  it  impartially  and  carefully.  You 
will  see  plainly  that  the  Author's  sole  aim  is 
to  promote  the  happiness  of  the  human  family 
here  and  hereafter.  Therefore,  I  pray  that 
those  who  will  read  this  book  may  be  forever 
blessed  in  this  world,  and  receive  endless 
happiness  in  the  world  to  come. 

D.  H.  PETERSON. 

New -York,  May,  1854. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Author  purchases  his  Mother's  freedom.  An  excellent 
young  lady.  He  goes  to  Baltimore.  Early  religious  impres- 
sions. He  goes  to  Philadelphia  and  hecomes  united  to  the 
Church.  Is  Steward  on  the  Delaware.  Remarkable  vision. 
His  ministry p.  13 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  Cholera  in  Philadelphia.  The  Author  is  concerned  for  the 
poor  and  afflicted;  he  visits  them.  Good  fruits  of  Gospel 
labor.  Pride  and  vanity  in  the  Bethel  Church.  Desecration 
of  the  old  Church.  Pulling  down  the  old  building.  Fatal 
accident.  Misconduct  of  the  Church  authorities.  An  Epistle 
from  D.  H.  Peterson,  warning  the  Church  to  take  heed  of 
their  ways,  and  admonishing  all  men  to  lead  a  just  and  holy 
life  on  the  earth,  that  they  may  partake  of  a  heavenly  reward 
hereafter.  The  Author  enters  the  great  Gospel  field  ;  leaves 
Philadelphia,  and  travels  in  the  Ministry p.  30 


vlll  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Author  addresses  his  brethren  in  bondage.  A  door  is  open 
for  the  relief  of  the  people  of  color.  Bethel  Church  of  Phila- 
delphia is  reproved  for  her  folly  and  pride.  A  great  blunder 
at  the  Conference  in  Buffalo.  Oppression  and  persecution. 
Church  in  Sixth  street,  Philadelphia,  and  her  minister.  No 
facilities  in  the  United  States  for  educated  colored  men.  Sla- 
very of  the  Africans  was  permitted  on  account  of  their  rebel- 
lion and  idolatry.  Brilliant  prospects  for  the  colored  man  in 
Liberia.  The  Author  exhorts  his  colored  brethren  to  reflect 
seriously,  and  choose  that  good  part  which  will  not  be  taken 
from  them p.  49 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Good  treatment  on  board  the  Isla  de  Cuba.  Departure  for 
Liberia.  Worship  on  board  every  Sabbath.  Much  sea-sick- 
ness. Kind  attentions  of  Capt.  Miller.  "Warm  weather  on  the 
Coast  of  Africa.  Unsuccessful  attempts  to  take  a  turtle.  Se- 
rious accident  to  the  mate,  Mr.  Hatch.  They  catch  a  shark, 
and  cook  him  for  dinner.  Description  of  Cape  Mount.  A 
beautiful  fish.  Visit  from  a  little  bird.  Visits  from  the  na- 
tives on  the  Coast.  Arrival  at  Monrovia.  Mr.  Cauldwell 
goes  on  shore p.  76 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Author  goes  on  shore.  Kind  reception.  Visits  the  Presi- 
dent, Judge,  and  other  distinguished  persons.  Beauty  of  the 
country.  Deseriptioa  of  the  town,  the  soil,  and  the  inhabit- 
ants. Good  opportunities  in  Liberia  for  emigrants.  Me- 
chanics, farmers  and  schoolmasters  wanted  in  Liberia.    Those 


CONTENTS.  IX 

who  lay  the  foundations  of  this  great  nation  should  he  moral, 
industrious,  economical,  and  religious  persons.  With  the  aid 
of  friends  in  the  United  States,  the  cause  of  colored  emigration 
to  Liberia  cannot  fail  to  prosper p.  94 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Author  visits  several  places  in  the  vicinity  of  Monrovia. 
He  speaks  a  number  of  times  in  the  Churches.  He  sails  for 
Sierra  Leone.  On  the  passage  Mr.  Caldwell  is  very  sick,  and 
the  Steward  tries  to  get  possession  of  his  property.  The  Au- 
thor opposes  this  nefarious  attempt.  They  arrive  in  Sierra 
Leone.  The  Author  finishes  his  business  and  sails  for  Gambia. 
Arrival  in  Gambia.  Mahometans  ;  Idolators  ;  treatment  of 
criminals  under  the  British  rule.  The  Author  prefers  the 
United  States  Government. ,  He  sails  in  the  Isla  de  Cuba  for 
the  United  States.  Storms  at  sea.  The  Author  trusts  in  the 
Lord.  Two  men  concealed  on  board.  The  Gulf  Stream. 
Arrival  at  New-York p.  102 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Author  relates  part  of  a  conversation  with  an  English 
officer.  Some  description  of  Gambia  and  its  inhabitants. 
Necessity  of  cultivation.  The  minds  of  the  natives  must  be 
cultivated  as  well  as  the  land.  Fine  opportunities  in  Africa 
for  steamboats,  and  enterprising  men  generally.  Cape  Mo\mt. 
No  newspaper  in  Liberia.  An  excellent  opening  for  Frede- 
rick Douglass.  Address  to  the  rulers  of  Liberia.  The  ne- 
cessity of  treating  the  natives  well  and  respecting  their  rights. 
Duties  of  parents  and  teachers.  The  young  should  be  in- 
structed     Mr.  Home    in    Monrovia.     Mrs.    Ann   Wilkins 


X  CONTENTS. 

Mr.  Phillips,  a  colored  teacher.    The  Rev.  Samuel  Williams 
and  family,  formerly  of  Pennsylvania p.  117 

CONCLUDING  REMARKS. '  Certificates,  including  one  by 
His  Excellency  J.  J.  Roberts,  President  of  Liberia,  "Western 
Africa.  Notice  of  the  Return  of  the  barque  Isla  de  Cuba. 
Resolutions  adopted  by  the  Passengers  highly  complimentary 
to  Capt.  Miller,  on  approaching  the  Coast  of  Africa.  .  p.  133 

Church  Collections — On  the  mode  of  making  them      .  .  p.  150 


THE  LOOKING-GLASS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Author  purchases  his  Mother's  freedom.  An  excellent 
young  lady.  He  goes  to  Baltimore.  Early  religious  impres- 
sions. He  goes  to  Philadelphia  and  becomes  united  to  the 
Church.  Is  Steward  on  the  Delaware.  Kemarkable  vision. 
His  ministry. 

My  parents  were  slaves.  The  place  of  my  na- 
tivity was  in  the  State  .of  Maryland,  near  Baltimore, 
in  the  respectable  family  of  a  Mr.  Tyler,  near  con- 
nexion of  the  Hon.  John  Tyler,  late  President  of  the 
United  States. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  1812,  my  mother  was  too 
aged  to  be  emancipated,  and  was  left  in  slavery.  She, 
however,  desired  her  liberty,  but  knew  not  how  to 
obtain  it.  The  Author,  although  but  a  small  boy, 
readily  agreed  to  enter  an  apprenticeship  for  the 
redemption  of  his  mother.  Children  can  never 
remunerate  faithful  parents  for  the  care  that  has 
been  extended  to  them  in  their  tender  years,  and  for. 
the  trouble  and  anxiety  of  which  they  have  been  the 
2 


14  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 

cause.  Therefore  it  is  in  obedience  to  the  dictates 
of  wisdom,  that  children  and  youth  obey  and  honor 
their  parents.  If  they  do  this,  they  will  be  blessed 
for  ever.  I  realized  this  blessing  from  that  time 
forth  :  and  my  dear  aged  mother  died  a  free  woman 
in  the  year  1844. 

I  fulfilled  my  obligations  faithfully  in  all  things, 
and  was  treated  as  one  of  the  family.  Among  those 
with  whom  I  lived,  was  a  young  lady,  Miss  S.  T., 
highly  accomplished  and  benevolent,  with  fine  Chris- 
tian feelings,  and  very  kind  to  the  poor.  Through 
the  blessing  of  the  Lord,  she  took  the  oversight  of 
me,  and  from  that  source  I  received  instruction  and 
other  great  benefits.  I  parted  from  this  family  at 
length,  not  without  regret  and  sorrow  on  both  sides, 
for  I  esteemed  them  for  their  kind  treatment  of  me, 
while  they  respected  me  for  my  obedience  and  the 
faithful  service  which  I  had  rendered  them.  But  I 
desired  to  acquire  attainments  by  which  I  might 
become  useful  to  my  fellow-men.  I  remembered 
the  impressions  that  had  been  made  upon  me,  when 
a  child,  at  the  prayer  meetings  that  had  been  held 
in  the  house  of  my  parents.  Those  religious  impres- 
sions were  the  first  that  I  had  experienced,  and  they 
never  left  me.  They  preserved  me  from  vice,  and 
influenced  my  conduct  in  all  times  and  places.    They 


RBC 


THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 


15 


The  Author  attending  in  a  gentleman's  family. 


EARLY   RELIGIOUS    IMPRESSIONS.  17 

were  like  grain  that  is  sown,  and  continues  to  grow 
until  it  has  arrived  at  full  perfection.  Therefore, 
prayer  is  always  good,  and  to  be  recommended  to 
all  persons  under  all  circumstances.  The  aforesaid 
family  is  certainly  a  great  and  noble  family,  and 
have  done  much  for  me,  in  the  way  both  of  example 
and  of  instruction,  but  the  time  came  for  us  to  part, 
as  I  had  a  greater  work  to  do. 

I  then  took  up  my  residence  in  Baltimore,  with 
respectable  and  eminent  families.  I  was  treated  well 
and  allowed  money,  and  excellent  privileges,  which 
I  endeavored  to  improve  both  by  moral  and  religious 
exercises.  I  avoided  all  bad  company,  and  was  full 
of  zeal  for  the  Church,  and  of  love  for  all  mankind. 
I  continued  to  look  ahead,  and  pressed  forward  to 
the  mark  of  a  higher  calling,  which  I  believed  it  was 
possible  for  me  to  obtain.  I  lived  a  considerable 
time  with  Mr.  Hopkinson,  by  whom  I  was  well  treated : 
also,  with  Messrs.  Cook,  Gilmore,  Hollins,  Mc Blair, 
and  Commodore  Ridgely,  who  were  good  men : 
Also,  with  William  Hollins,  Jr.  Esq.,  and  Col.  P. 
Workman.  These  were  all  gentlemen  af  the  high- 
est standing,  merchants,  &c.  I  also  lived  with  many 
others,  among  whom  were  Messrs.  Oliver  and  Thomp- 
son, all  of  whom  moved  in  the  highest  circles  of  that 
city ;  they  supplied  me  with  whatever  was  necessary 


18  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 

to  my  comfort  and  convenience.  When  I  wanted 
clothing,  I  had  only  to  call  upon  the  tailor  and  get 
a  supply,  these  gentlemen  freely  paying  all  my  bills. 

Many  colored  persons  entertain  the  opinion  that 
all  white  people  are  their  enemies.  That  is  not  true, 
for  I  declare  that,  from  a  child  unto  this  day,  I  have 
found  all  my  best  friends  among  the  white  people. 
Therefore,  the  prejudice  which  I  have  mentioned  is 
the  child  of  ignorance,  resulting  from  the  want  of 
a  clear  conception  of  facts,  and  sometimes  from  im- 
propriety of  conduct.  A  great  many  men  bring 
trouble  upon  themselves,  by  their  own  mismanage- 
ment. 

While  living  with  the  gentlemen  whom  I  have 
named,  I  applied  myself  to  the  study  of  the  AVord 
of  the  Lord,  with  prayer  and  meditation.  I  found 
it  good  so  to  do.  I  perceived  that  the  spirit  of  the 
Lord  was  with  me,  and  felt  an  impression  that  I 
must  labor  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Most  High. 

In  the  year  1815, 1  left  Baltimore  and  went  to 
Philadelphia,  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  There  I 
united  with  the  Church  and  became  a  member,  under 
the  influence  of  the  gospel  preached  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Fox,  an  old  minister  from  Frenchtown.  His  text 
was  Matthew  xiii.  v.  48.  "  They  gathered  the  good 
into  vessels,  but  cast  the  bad  away."     It  was  under 


STEWARD    OF   A    STEAMBOAT.  19 

the  power  of  these  words,  that  the  spirit  came  home 
to  me.  I  rejoiced  in  the  blessed  Lord  and  his  great 
mercies,  for  he  redeemed  me  from  sin  and  death.  I 
was  still  impressed  with  the  idea  that  there  was  a 
greater  work  for  me  to  do  than  to  remain  an  ordinary 
member  of  the  Church.  I  made  it  the  subject  of 
prayer,  and  besought  the  Lord  to  instruct  me  in  re- 
gard to  his  will.  In  that  condition  I  remained  for  a 
season,  awaiting  an  answer.  During  this  time  1 
was  engaged  in  domestic  life,  having  good  employ- 
ment in  the  best  families.  I  was  sent  for,  to  come  to 
Burlington,  N.  J.,  and  act  as  steward  in  the  house 
of  John  Griffith,  Esq.,  at  Green  Bank,  the  building 
occupied  by  the  British  Governor  while  the  country 
was  subject  to  the  English  crown.  I  went  to  Green 
Bank  and  lived  with  the  family  awhile.  I  was  much 
pleased  with  them,  and  they  were  well  satisfied  with 
me.  They  wished  me  to  remain  with  them,  but  I 
was  sent  for  by  those  honorable  gentlemen,  the  Cap- 
tains of  the  steamboats  on  the  Delaware  river,  in 
connection  with  the  establishment  of  Robert  L.  Ste- 
vens, Esq.  and  Brothers  of  New-York,  the  first  engi- 
neers in  the  country.  I  engaged  in  the  employment 
of  those  favorite  Captains  A.  and  M.  Jenkins,  and 
remained  with  them  a  number  of  years  as  chief 
steward,  having  full  charge  of  the  Bar  and  Table, 


20  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

and  control  over  all  the  cabins,  &c.  Those  excellent 
men  will  never  be  blotted  from  my  remembrance. 

Notwithstanding  my  good  situation,  ample  wages, 
and  kind  treatment,  I  found  it  my  duty  to  leave  all. 
I  was  impressed  with  the  conviction  that  the  Lord 
had  other  work  for  me  to  do.  I  said  to  the  Cap- 
tain— "  Sir,  I  shall  be  obliged  to  leave  you.  I  have 
no  fault  to  find  with  my  place,  but  I  am  impressed 
with  a  belief  that  I  am  called  elsewhere  by  the  Spir- 
it." Our  accounts  were  then  settled  in  an  honorable 
manner,  and  having  put  another  man  in  my  place,  I 
took  my  departure.  I  then  travelled  with  James 
McClanaghan,  Esq.,  to  New- York,  who  went  from 
Baltimore  to  the  former  city  with  his  family,  soon 
after  losing  his  wife.  He  was  connected  with  the 
great  house  of  John  B.  Murray  and  Son.  I  remained 
awhile  with  Mr.  McClanaghan,  and  was  treated  well 
by  him. 

At  the  time  appointed,  I  left  him  aDd  went  to 
Philadelphia.  There  I  settled  and  began  to  look 
out  for  a  bosom  friend,  one  to  whom  I  could  confide 
my  secret  thoughts,  and  whose  advice  would  always 
be  of  service  to  me.  After  a  time  I  became  ac- 
quainted with  one  of  the  most  respectable  colored 
families  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  that  of  Mr.  Jon- 
athan Trusty,  residing  in  Locust  street.     I  married 


THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 


21 


The  Author  as  a  Steward  on  the  Delaware. 

The  cahins  were  always  clean  and  in  good  order ;  due  respect  paid  to 
the  owners  and  officers  ;  and  eyery  attention  to  all  passengers. 


REMARKABLE   VISION.  23 

his  eldest  daughter,  Mary  Trusty.  At  that  time 
Mr.  Trusty  was  araan  of  property  and  a  trustee  of 
the  Church,  over  which  he  exercised  much  influence. 
I  then  settled  down  and  went  into  business  for  my- 
self for  a  few  years.  During  that  time  I  applied  for 
a  license  to  preach.  I  had  difficulty  in  obtaining  it, 
but  succeeded  after  a  while.  I  labored  in  the  city 
and  county  extensively  for  several  years.  The  Lord 
blessed  my  labors,  I  had  a  good  wife,  very  kind  on 
all  occasions,  and  I  continued  awhile  in  Philadelphia 
with  my  agreeable  family.  But  the  blessed  Lord 
showed  me  that  this  could  not  always  be.  "  Not 
so,"  said  He — "  thou  art  a  chosen  vessel,  and  I  will 
send  thee  far  away.  Thou  shalt  bear  testimony  for 
my  name's  sake  in  distant  lands,  even  among  those 
who  know  me  not,  and  have  not  heard  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  gospel." 

The  Lord  showed  me  in  the  visions  of  the  night, 
upon  my  bed,  the  dreadful  state  of  mankind  through- 
out the  world,  living  in  sin  and  wickedness.  "  Oh  ! 
wretched  man  !"  said  I — "  who  shall  deliver  me 
from  this  body  of  sin  and  death  !"  There  is  none 
can  do  this  but  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
and  He  only,  for  Christ  has  become  a  sacrifice  for 
us.  Therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast  with  love  and 
unity,  which  is  well  pleasing  in  the  sight  of  the 


24  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 

Lord."  In  the  vision  of  the  night,  I  saw  s ome  to 
the  door  of  my  dwelling,  a  coach  and  four  white 
horses,  with  a  good  driver.  I  was  taken  into  the 
carriage,  and  it  was  driven  off.  We  travelled  far 
away  in  a  South-Western  direction,  until  we  arrived 
at  a  large  village.  There  I  alighted  from  the  coach 
and  saw  it  no  more.  But  the  people  of  the  town 
were  in  a  state  of  intense  excitement,  and  for  some 
cause  unknown  to  me,  they  were  filled  with  fear  and 
horror.  I  then  saw  a  garden  in  which  there  was  no 
grass,  but  a  number  of  young  vegetables  had  sprung 
up  and  were  in  a  nourishing  condition.  I  passed 
through  the  garden  with  a  saw  in  my  haud.  I  look- 
ed, and  beheld  a  number  of  people  gazing  from  their 
windows,  both  above  and  below ;  and  then  I  saw  a 
cloud  rising  in  the  West.  There  was  thunder  and 
lightning,  and  the  people  were  much  alarmed.  I 
passed  out  of  the  garden  with  the  saw  in  my  hand, 
and  was  fearful  that  it  would  attract  the  lightning. 
As  I  left  the  garden,  the  cloud  became  more  dark 
and  terrific.  I  saw  ships  tossed  to  and  fro  upon  the 
cloud  ;  and  after  that,  I  saw  two  persons  of  very  sol- 
emn appearance  ascend  from  behind,  and  stand  upon 
the  top  of  the  cloud.  Above  these  two  beings,  the 
sky  was  perfectly  clear,  and  their  feet  rested  on  the 
very  summit  of  the  cloud.     One  of  these  men  held 


REMARKABLE    VISION.  25 

in  his  hand  a  sword,  and  the  other  was  armed  with 
a  spear. 

These  two  men  appeared  to  be  very  angry  with 
the  world  of  mankind.  They  turned  swiftly  around 
and  brandished  their  weapons  in  a  threatening  man- 
ner, and  soon  afterwards  they  disappeared  again 
behind  the  cloud,  the  one  following  the  other  in  his 
descent.  As  soon  as  the  two  men  were  gone,  fire 
came  from  the  cloud.  The  earth  itself  was  ignited 
by  this  fire,  and  the  flames  ascended  to  the  skies. 
The  conflagration  extended  so  swiftly  along  the  earth, 
that  neither  beast  nor  bird  could  escape  its  fury. 

After  witnessing  this  vision,  I  came  to  the  deter- 
mination to  leave  all  and  enter  fully  into  the  vine- 
yard of  the  Lord.  "  Eveiy  one  that  hath  forsaken 
houses,  or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother, 
or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  my  name's  sake, 
shall  receive  an  hundred  fold,  and  shall  inherit  ever- 
lasting life." — Matt.  xix.  29  v. 

The  reader  will  please  observe,  that  the  family 
with  which  I  was  connected  was  that  of  Mr.  Jona- 
than Trusty  and  his  wife  Esther,  a  religious  family, 
in  which  there  were  only  three  children — Mary,  the 
eldest,  whom  I  married,  Hannah,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Wm.  Tucker,  of  Lexington,  Ky.,  and 
Esther,  who  remains  single  and  resides  in  my  family 
3 


26  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

at  the  present  time.  The  worthy  gentleman  referred 
to  on  another  page,  M.  Jenkins,  Esq.,  has  retired 
from  business,  and  now  resides  iu  Trenton,  N.  J., 
surrounded  by  his  worthy  family — a  perfect  gentle- 
man and  sincere  Christian. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  in  my  vision  I  be- 
held the  great  evil  of  slavery  in  this  gigantic  Repub- 
lic, as  well  as  the  magnitude  of  other  sins.  I  prayed 
that  the  iniquities  of  the  nations  might  all  be  re- 
moved, so  that  this  great  earth  might  become  a  per- 
fect Paradise,  a  place  of  happiness  and  joy,  instead 
of  sickness,  sorrow,  pain,  and  death. 

I  consulted  my  wife  in  regard  to  the  new  views 
that  had  been  opened  to  my  mind,  to  which  she 
replied,  "If  you  must  leave  us,  the  will  of  the  bless- 
ed Son  be  done.  I  will,  with  the  help  of  the  Lord, 
do  the  best  that  I  can  in  all  things ;  but  you  will 
remember  me  and  all  others  in  your  prayers,  at  all 
times  and  places,  and  we  will  remember  you  in  our 
weak  way."  I  next  waited  upon  several  of  the  cler- 
gymen in  the  city.  I  told  them  that  my  intention 
was  to  embark  upon  the  great  Gospel  ocean,  and 
endeavor  to  turn  men  from  darkness  to  light.  They 
gave  me  the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  and  said, 
"  Brother,  go  on,  and  may  the  Blessed  One  be  with 


THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 


21 


Connection  of  the  Author  with  the  Church. 

1  One  thing  I  desire,  that  1  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord 
for  eyer." 


HIS    MINISTRY. 


29 


you  for  ever."  They  then  presented  me  with  letters 
of  recommendation  to  all  people  among  whom  my 
lot  might  be  cast.  So  I  entered  fully  into  this  work 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1848. 


8* 


30  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  Cholera  in  Philadelphia.  The  Author  is  concerned  for  the 
poor  and  afflicted;  he  visits  them.  Good  fruits  of  Gospel 
labor.  Pride  and  vanity  in  the  Bethel  Church.  Desecration 
of  the  old  Church.  Pulling  down  the  old  building.  Fatal 
accident.  Misconduct  of  the  Church  authorities.  An  Epistlo 
from  D.  H.  Peterson,  warning  the  Church  to  take  heed  of 
their  ways,  and  admonishing  all  men  to  lead  a  just  and  holy 
life  on  the  earth,  that  they  may  partake  of  a  heavenly  reward 
hereafter.  The  Author  enters  the  great  Gospel  field ;  leaves 
Philadelphia,  and  travels  in  the  ministry. 

It  is  now  necessary  for  me  to  go  back  a  little,  and 
give  some  account  of  the  condition  of  the  Church  in 
Philadelphia,  at  the  time  that  I  officiated  there. 

At  the  time  of  the  Cholera  in  Philadelphia,  I  was 
there.  The  disease  was  very  violent  and  contagious, 
but  I  was  in  the  midst  of  it  I  went  into  the  sick 
house  which  was  provided  by  the  Corporation  for 
the  poor  and  friendless  sufferers.  This  place  was 
vocal  with  the  groans  of  the  sick  and  dying.  I 
prayed  and  sang  with  these  afflicted  persons,  and 


THE    CHOLERA.  31 

administered  to  their  several  wants.  I  also  went 
out  upon  the  Commons,  where  the  poor  were  encamp- 
ed to  prevent  the  spread  of  the  disorder,  and  re- 
ceived no  harm  from  my  attentions  to  the  sick.  I 
was  not  afraid  of  the  Cholera,  for  I  knew  that  the 
Lord  was  all-sufficient  everywhere,  and  under  all 
circumstances. 

The  good  effect  of  laboring  with  these  people  at 
such  a  time  was  soon  apparent ;  for  by  this  means 
a  Church  sprang  up  for  the  gathering  in  of  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.  As  a  result  of  those 
labors,  there  still  remain  marry  members  in  good 
standing.  Some  of  them  became  preachers.  But 
the  time  came  when  I  must  leave  them  all.  Before 
I  left  Philadelphia,  I  warned  the  Churches,  particu- 
larly Bethel  Church.  The  members  of  this  Church 
first  commenced  their  worship  in  a  blacksmith's  shop. 
At  that  time,  they  were  humble  and  pious.  After 
a  while,  they  built  a  good,  plain,  brick  church ;  but 
afterwards  they  began  to  grow  proud,  and  wanted 
a  more  fine  and  showy  edifice  in  which  to  worship 
the  Most  High.  A  public  meeting  w7as  called  to 
consult  upon  the  subject.  I  attended  this  meeting, 
and  as  they  had  not  the  money  for  building,  and 
the  church  they  had  would  last  yet  a  long  time,  1 
recommended  to  them  that  they  should  postpone 


32  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 

the  work  for  the  present,  and  not  commence  it  until 
they  were  better  prepared.  They  would  not  listen 
to  me,  but  went  on  in  their  own  way. 

They  finally  declared  their  intention  of  holding  a 
Fair  in  the  old  church,  and  then  pulling  it  down  to 
make  way  for  the  new  one,  which  they  would  build 
on  the  same  site  with  the  money  that  had  been 
raised  by  the  Fair.  So  they  went  on  with  the  Fair 
in  the  church  for  many  days,  during  which  time 
there  was  much  strife  and  contention  among  them. 
As  soon  as  the  Fair  was  over,  they  commenced  pulling 
down  the  old  church.  With  sorrow,  I  add,  that  a 
part  of  it  gave  way  and  fell  upon  several  innocent 
persons,  who  were  killed.  One  misfortune  after 
another  followed.  Among  other  things,  the  gas  pipes 
burst ;  and  then  came  a  great  law-suit,  which  cost 
more  money  and  time,  and  occasioned  more  idleness, 
than  ten  Fairs  were  worth.  Finally,  it  ended  in  the 
division  of  the  Church.  Many  of  the  old  members, 
who  had  toiled  many  years  and  spent  all  their  living 
to  build  up  the  society,  were  cast  out,  and  in  this 
way  divided  from  their  parents,  children,  and  friends. 
Something  more  may  be  said  of  this  hereafter,  but  I 
will  here  observe,  that  sinful  acts  like  those  will  be 
decided  upon  in  the  great  day  of  final  account. 
*      I  left  them  all,  and  tock  the  Lord  for  my  portion, 


CIRCULAR   ADDRESS.  33 

and  him  only.     Before  I  departed  from  Philadelphia, 
I  addressed  the  following  circular  to  the  Church. 

CIRCULAR. 

"  To  the  true  Ministers  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  to 
the  Clergymen  of  every  denomination,  and  to  all 
those  who  undertake  to  govern  and  rule  the  Church 
of  God  :  to  all  Itinerant  Ministers,  and  more  parti" 
cularly  such  as  belong  to  the  Bethel  connection  : 
knowing  that  these  last  are  not  so  mature  as  some 
others,  and  for  that  cause  are  more  liable  to  be  led 
astray,  and  taken  captive  by  the  gods  of  this  world, 
becoming  worshippers  of  idols.  By  such  means,  the 
Church  grows  barren  and  unfruitful,  and  the  mem- 
bers become  lukewarm  and  contentious,  causing  the 
true  members  to  mourn,  while  the  Church,  instead 
of  being  a  blessing  and  a  comfort,  brings  forth  wrath 
and  malice,  and  the  fruits  of  bitterness. 

But  if  the  members  of  the  Church  would  keep  the 
commandments,  and  live  according  to  the  Gospel, 
the  world  would  not  be  in  such  a  dark  and  wretched 
state  as  it  is  at  this  time ;  for  the  blessed  Saviour 
said,  '  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world ;  ye  are  a  city 
set  upon  a  hill.'  Therefore,  you  ought  to  attend 
only  to  spiritual  things,  and  not  to  suffer  anything 
to  approach  the  holy  place  of  worship  like  sin,  or 


34  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

anything  that  would  cause  contention  amongst  the 
members,  except  the  board  and  body  fully  consent 
to  their  introduction  among  you.  But  to  force  such 
things  upon  the  members,  whether  or  not,  is  unlaw- 
ful, and  cannot  be  approved  either  by  saint  or  by 
sinner. 

About  eighteen  months  since,  the  ministers,  trus- 
tees, and  members  proposed  to  take  down  and  rebuild 
Bethel  Church,  at  which  period  the  society  was  free 
from  debt,  and  owned  property  worth  from  $25,000 
to  $50,000;  they  having  begun  from  nothing  be- 
tween forty  and  -fifty  years  since,  under  the  direction 
of  Rev.  Richard  Allen.  At  that  time,  they  trusted 
in  the  promises  of  a  merciful  God,  and  the  good  feel- 
ings of  the  humane  citizens  who  aided  them  with 
means,  and  granted  them  a  charter  and  a  discipline 
that  we  might  do  justice  to  each  other  and  all  man- 
kind, at  the  same  time  that  we  honored  and  worship- 
ped the  God  of  glory  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  under 
our  own  vine  and  fig-tree,  with  none  to  make  us 
afraid :  for  the  wholesome  law  of  the  land  would 
protect  us  while  we  acted  the  part  of  Christians. 
Now,  we  must  have  a  new  church,  which  is  very 
right ;  but  let  us  have  it  in  peace  and  harmony,  and 
let  us  not  leave  the  good  old  way.  But  I  am  sorry 
to  say  that  we  have  left  that  path,  and  have  gone 


CIRCULAR    ADDRESS.  35 

rather  astray.  It  is  a  shame  that,  in  this  day  of 
light,  we  should  have  given  occasion  for  any  to  say 
that  we  are  going  after  the  gods  of  this  world.  In 
so  doing,  we  have  even  trampled  upon  the  whole- 
some laws  of  the  land  granted  by  the  honorable 
Legislature  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 

Herein,  you  will  understand  that  a  charge  is  made 
against  all  those  among  us  who  are  entrusted  with 
authority,  whether  temporal  or  spiritual,  because 
they  have  neither  considered  nor  cared  for  the  feel- 
ings of  their  brethren  and  sisters,  fellow-members  of 
the  Church  ;  and  have  been  scarcely  careful  enough 
of  their  own  word,  for  they  promised  one  thing  and 
did  another.  For  their  unlawful  acts,  there  was  a 
charge  entered  against  these  men  who  hold  authority 
over  the  Church  ;  and  it  was  placed  in  the  hands  of 
Bishop  Brown,  by  E.  Mann  and  J.  W.  Stokes.  After 
the  Bishop  had  held  the  charge  a  few  days,  he  re- 1 
ported  to  the  Board  that  he  would  call  in  three  itin- 
erant ministers  and  try  the  case.  Instead  of  doing 
as  he  had  reported,  he  called  the  Board  together  and 
exonerated  them  from  the  charge,  without  examining 
witnesses  on  the  strength  of  the  Church.  So  they 
voted  themselves  innocent  of  the  charge,  and  went 
on  as  before,  judging  and  condemning  others.  There- 
fore, I  ask  you,  God-fearing  men,  and  those  belong- 


36  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 

ing  to  the  Itinerancy,  whether  these  things  are  right 
— whether  they  are  according  to  discipline  and  to 
the  charter  which  is  granted  unto  us.  I  think  not. 
Therefore,  according  to  discipline,  I  entered  a  charge 
against  several  persons,  which  remains  still  untried, 
and  those  persons  are  continued  in  their  several  sta- 
tions as  before.  It  was  published  in  the  Church 
that  Quarterly  Conference  would  take  place  on  July 
6th,  1841.  Accordingly  the  members  met,  and  in- 
stead of  doing  the  business  of  the  Conference,  they 
spent  the  whole  evening  in  striving  to  exonerate  the 
Elders,  Eev.  Richard  Williams,  and  the  Trustees. 
This  they  did  by  mob  and  gag  law ;  and  so  they 
proceeded  till  the  time  for  adjournment.  The  above 
meeting  was  entirely  illegal,  and  contrary  to  good 
order :  because  the  same  men  who  committed  the 
offences  which  caused  disorder,  sat  as  judges  to  try 
the  case. 

I  ask  you  if  this  can  be  right.  If  this  is  according 
to  rule,  there  is  a  great  deal  wanted  to  put  the 
Church  in  order — a  new  Church,  a  new  government, 
new  hearts,  and  new  rules.  Therefore,  let  old  things 
be  done  away,  and  all  things  become  new. 

The  principal  cause  of  this  trouble  in  the  Church 
is,  that  the  Trustees  and  Elders  suffered  a  fair  to  be 
held  on  that  consecrated  and  sacred  ground,  in  a 


THE    LOOKIXG-GLASS. 


37 


Marriage  and  Settlement  of  the  Rev.  D.  H.  Peterson. 

"  The  £rst  noble  gift  unto  man.     So  let  us  ever  remember  the  vo"W, 
and  keep  the  covenant  forever  in  view." 


CIRCULAR    ADDRESS.  39 

place  where  the  first  bud  and  branch  of  spiritual  li- 
berty sprang  forth  and  produced  fruit  that  was  healthy 
and  sweet  to  the  taste  of  the  poor,  despised  race, 
and  to  all  the  human  family — a  place  of  deposite  for 
the  dust  of  our  ancestors.  On  that  holy  spot  are  the 
remains  of  the  Right.  Rev.  Richard  Allen,  the 
founder  and  promoter  of  that  sacred  institution,  and 
the  father  of  her  faithful  members. 

Many  of  the  members  of  the  Church  were  very 
much  opposed  to  the  scheme  of  holding  a  fair  upon 
that  spot,  and  the  Trustees  and  Elders  promised  that 
it  should  not  be  held  there.  But,  a  few  days  after- 
ward, Rev.  Walter  Proctor  announced  from  the  pul- 
pit that  a  fair  would  be  held  in  Bethel ;  and  it  was 
again  proclaimed  by  D.  Ware,  shortly  after  its  first 
promulgation.  Notwithstanding  these  proceedings, 
a  great  number  of  the  members  were  still  opposed 
to  holding  the  fair  in  the  church :  but  it  was  held, 
after  Sabbath  evening  preaching,  between  5  and  12 
o'clock.  The  Bishop,  the  Elders,  and  Trustees,  all 
state  that  they  knew  nothing  about  it,  and  lay  the 
whole  blame  upon  the  carpenter,  while  he  sap  that 
they  asked  him  to  let  those  women  have  the  church 
for  a  fair. 

As  the  first  evening  meeting  on  Sixth  street  was  a 
breach  in  every  point  of  view,  and  as  one  had  existed 


40  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

for  many  mouths,  a  legal  charge  was  made  by  D. 
H.  Peterson  at  that  time,  against  the  following  per- 
sons, and  others  since  deceased,  and  placed  at  the 
V*bernacle  in  Wagner's  Alley  : 

Kev.  W.  Proctor,  A.  Brown, 

V.  Neal,  A.  Crippen, 

T.  Gibbs,  A.  Till, 

J.  Lesby,  J.  Eddey, 

B.  Johnson,  H.  Dickenson, 

M.  Young. 
We  tr-ust  that  all  persons  who  say  they  love  and 
fear  the  Lord,  and  endeavor  to  keep  his  command- 
ments, will  not  suffer  anything  like  this  fair  to  be 
carried  into  their  holy  places  of  worship,  though 
they  may  gain  ten  thousand  dollars  by  it ;  for  what 
is  the  whole  world  to  them,  if  they  lose  their  own 
souls  ?  The  great  evil  of  the  thing  is,  that  we  show 
more  love  for  this  world  than  we  have  for  the  Lord, 
and  thus  we  lose  the  power  which  the  Lord  confers 
upon  us  to  rule  his  people,  remaining  in  ignorance 
and  darkness,  by  reason  of  our  disobedience. 

While  they  were  endeavoring  to  settle  the  afore- 
mentioned cases,  the  Rev.  Bishop  stated  that  he  had 
a  charge  in  his  pocket,  handed  him  by  a  respectable 
member  named  Benjamin  Wilson,  against  the  Trus- 


CIRCULAR    ADDRESS.  41 

tees,  for  misdemeanor  and  violation  of  the  Constitu- 
tion. 

If  matters  cannot  be  conducted  better  than  thej 
are  at  present,  we  had  better  call  a  General  Conven- 
tion, and  see  if  there  cannot  be  some  improvements 
made  in  the  spiritual  government  of  the  Church : 
for,  while  three  or  four  thousand  souls  are  looking 
for  instruction,  there  is  only  confusion  and  strife 
among  us  by  reason  of  bad  management.  The  old 
and  sorrowing  members  must  not  be  forgotten.  They 
should  be  aided  and  preferred  in  all  things,  because 
they  have  borne  the  heat  and  burthen  of  the  day ; 
and  let  the  man  of  God  attend  to  godly  things  and 
have  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  dark  - 
ness. 

Therefore,  I  do  sincerely  trust  and  hope  that  those 
matters  will  be  taken  up  in  a  proper  time,  either 
before  or  at  the  General  Conference,  and  sifted  to 
the  bottom,  so  that  holy  things  shall  be  no  more 
trampled  under  unhallowed  feet,  and  that  the  bless- 
ing of  God  may  flow  through  the  whole  world,  and 
his  grace  may  be  received  by  all  men. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  1842,  a  circumstance 
somewhat  similar  to  that  which  has  been  mentioned 
occurred  in  New-Jersey,  in  which  Butler  and  the 
4* 


42  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

Author  were  involved.  The  case  was  givei.  to  the 
Bishop,  who  called  three  official  men  to  his  side  and 
settled  it  without  trouble.  Liberty  of  conscience 
was  granted,  and  worship  was  allowed  to  be  per- 
formed at  any  convenient  time  and  place.  It  was 
signed  as  follows  : 

Rev.  W.  Proctor, 

Rev.  D.  Ware, 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Durham, 

Right  Rev.  Morris  Brown. 

This  is  the  third  General  Epistle  of  Peter- 
son, in  defence  of  the  Church  of  God,  written  with 
good  feeling  towards  his  brethren,  without  respect 
of  persons,  in  his  official  capacity,  in  full  standing, 
and  in  the  performance  of  all  his  duties,  (as  is  well 
known,)  both  spiritual  and  temporal. 

I  am  truly,  your  friend  and  brother  in  the  Lord, 
D.  H.  Peterson. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  1841,  August  28th. 

P.  S. — A  reformation  in  our  spiritual  government 
is  very  loudly  called  for,  and  must  be  effected  ere 
long.  At  the  time  of  our  ignorance  God  winked. 
At  the  commencement  of  this  religious  establish- 
ment, there  was  but  little  learning,  poor  judgment, 
and  few  people.  It  was  nearly  half  a  century  ago, 
when  money  had  to  be  obtained,  though  there  was 


CIRCULAR   ADDRESS.  43 

much  darkness  in  the  land,  and  enemies  were  nume- 
rous :  though,  even  then,  the  Church  had  some 
friends.  They  concluded  to  elect  nine  trustees,  and 
to  unite  them  with  the  Bishop  or  Elders  in  charge, 
the  trustees  to  be  subject  to  the  Bishop  or  Elders, 
particularly  in  spiritual  matters.  That  was  well 
enough  at  that  time  :  but  now  see  how  different 
things  are.  We  want  fine  churches,  and  have  them 
we  must,  at  all  hazards  ;  also  large  congregations 
and  a  plenty  of  learning. 

3Sow,  I  ask  you,  if  those  nine  trustees  are  elected 
for  nine  years  to  do  justice  to  the  people  in  all  things, 
and  they  often  do  wrong,  and  if,  when  a  charge  is 
entered,  he  that  is  placed  at  their  head  will  not  pro- 
ceed against  them,  but  the  discipline,  the  constitu- 
tion, itinerant  principles,  and  the  resolutions  of  the 
Conference  are  all  forgotten,  and  those  nine  men 
and  their  head  will  do  as  they  please  with  the  means, 
and  manage  the  affairs  of  two  thousand  people  with- 
out regard  to  justice  or  right,  and  there  is  no  remedy 
for  all  this — if,  I  say,  such  be  the  condition  of  things 
among  us,  must  there  not  be  something  done  in 
order  to  insure  the  prosperity  of  the  Church  ? 

Again,  the  Scriptures  say,  "  Wherever  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  is,  there  is  liberty :"  but  there  is  no 
liberty  here ;   for,  if  a  man  expresses  his  opinion 


44  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

freely,  they  take  away  his  liberty,  whether  he  speaks 
rightly  or  wrongly.  The  ministers  are  not  permitted 
to  preach  at  times  and  places,  according  to  their  own 
sense  of  duty  and  propriety.  If  their  liberties  must 
be  taken  away  in  this  manner,  I  pray  that  the  Lord 
will,  in  his  mercy,  use  some  means  to  enlighten  the 
human  family  so  that  they  may  be  able  to  discern 
good  from  bad,  and  may  be  led  to  choose  that  good 
part  which  cannot  be  taken  from  them. 

To  one  of  the  nine  Trustees  the  opportunity  has 
been  afforded  of  becoming  a  joint-heir  with  the 
Church,  the  greater  part  of  an  estate  having  been 
willed  to  him,  and  but  a  small  part  of  it  to  the 
Church.  It  is  said  that  the  testator  was  insane  at 
the  time  he  disposed  of  his  property  in  that  manner. 
It  will  be  but  light  and  honorable  in  the  Church  to 
disclaim  all  right  or  title  to  the  property,  as  the  owner 
of  it  left  a  widow  and  several  helpless  children  with- 
out any  support.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Church  to 
make  known,  through  the  medium  of  the  public 
press,  that  they  have  neither  part  nor  lot  in  this 
unreasonable  matter. 

Again — the  man  who  is  appointed  to  stand  at 
the  head  of  the  Church  government  should  possess 
a  strong  mind,  a  sound  judgment,  a  good  knowledge 
and  understanding  of  the  Scriptures  of  Truth,  and 


CIRCULAR    ADDRESS.  45 

the  Gospel  of  Christ :  he  should  also  love  and  adhere 
to  the  discipline,  and  the  Lord  wouli  then  direct  his 
way  and  preserve  him  in  the  right  path  through  life  : 
and  if  we  walk  by  the  rule  of  the  Gospel,  he  will 
save  us  in  the  eternal  world. 

Old  age  is  honorable,  and  should  be  respected  at 
all  times  and  upon  all  occasions  :  but  there  is  a  fitness 
to  be  observed  in  the  administration  of  public  affairs  ; 
and  when  a  man  is  far  advanced  in  life,  he  is  gene- 
rally incompetent  to  govern  a  great  body  of  men. 
Therefore,  there  is  a  change  required  in  this  respect 
Then  it  will  be  made  known  to  us  all,  that  nothing 
of  a  temporal  nature  should  be  suffered  to  be  intro- 
duced among  the  followers  of  the  blessed  Lord  and 
Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  without  first  consulting  the 
oracles  of  God,  and  getting  the  consent  of  the  Board 
and  body.  Even  after  obtaining  their  consent,  there 
may  be  sin  in  doing  such  things.  It  is,  therefore, 
good  for  us  all  to  confess  our  faults,  for  we  have 
been  unguarded  in  this  matter,  and  repent  and  pray 
that  the  Lord  will  pardon  and  forgive  us  our  folly, 
and  repair  the  breach  that  this  evil  has  made  in  the 
wall,  and  bring  us  all  into  the  bonds  of  love,  and 
keep  us  forever,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  and 
Saviour. — Amen.  I  may  write  again,  God  willing. 
I  will  endeavor  to  show  those  who  have  turned  their 


46  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

soats  in  this  matter,  and  how  unstable  some  men  are 
in  all  their  ways.  There  are  many  other  important 
points  which  I  shall  endeavor  to  lay  before  you  for 
the  good  of  the  rising  generation  and  mankind  at 
large.  D.  H.  P." 

Being  now  clear  of  the  Church  in  Philadelphia,  I 
prepared  to  go  forth  into  the  great  vineyard,  and 
labor  in  the  bonds  of  the  everlasting  Gospel.  The 
following  certificates  were  given  me  by  my  clerical 
brethren,  that  I  might  be  known  to  those  whom  I 
visited  : 

"Philadelphia,  Jan.  2,  1849. 
"  This  certifies  that  the  bearer,  Rev.  Daniel  H.  Pe- 
terson, is  an  acceptable  member  of  the  A.  F.  M.  E. 
Church,  a  member  of  Conference,  and  a  preacher  of 
the  Gospel.  John  Cornish, 

Pastor,  <fcc,  Bethel  Church." 

"  Philadelphia,  Jan.  24,  1849. 
"  This  will  certify  that  we  have  known  Rev.  D.  H. 
Peterson  a  number  of  years.  "We  have  ever  found 
him  to  be  an  honest  man,  whose  word  is  to  be  de- 
pended upon.  He  is  a  full  member  of  the  Christian 
Church,  of  good  standing,  &c.    He  is  an  official  man  ; 


CERTIFICATES.  47 

therefore,  we  recommend  him  to  all,  and  sincerely 
trust  that  the  Christian  community  and  good  citi- 
zens will  receive  him,  and  give  him  the  right  hand 
of  fellowship,  and  in  his  mission,  aid  him  with  such 
things  as  he  may  stand  in  need  of.  Such  is  the 
duty  of  Christians  in  all  cases.  Therefore  he  has 
our  sincere  prayers  and  good  wishes,  that  he  may 
be  useful  in  all  sects  and  denominations.  Such  is 
his  desire :  to  promote  the  Kingdom  of  the  Most 
High  God,  and  to  benefit  the  world  of  mankind. 
"  We  subscribe  our  names  most  respectfully  : 
Rev.  John  Cornish, 

Pastor  of  Bethel  Church. 
Rev.  Stephen  Gloucester, 

Pastor  Presbyterian  Church. 
Rev.  George  Galbraith, 

Pastor  Wesleyan  Church. 
Rev.  Daniel  Scott, 

Baptist  Church." 

With  these  certificates  I  went  forth,  and  since 
that  time  I  have  endeavored  to  proclaim  liberty  and 
free  salvation  in  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  to  a  dying  people  throughout  a  great 
part  of  the  United  States  of  America,  this  great  Re- 
public, the  garden-spot  of  the  world,  which  is  lighted 


48  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

up  with  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesui 
Christ.  I,  therefore,  do  trust  and  pray  that  through 
this  great  light,  all  the  e\dl,  and  sins  and  oppressions, 
may  be  plainly  seen  and  purged  away,  that  she  and 
her  inhabitants  majr  be  blessed  for  evermore. 


ADDRESS    ON   BONDAGE.  49 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Author  addresses  his  brethren  in  bondage.  A  door  is  open 
for  the  relief  of  the  people  of  color.  Bethel  Church  of  Phila- 
delphia is  reproved  for  her  folly  and  pride.  A  great  blunder 
at  the  Conference  in  Buffalo.  Oppression  and  persecution. 
Church  in  Sixth  street,  Philadelphia,  and  her  minister.  No 
facilities  in  the  United  States  for  educated  colored  men.  Sla- 
very of  the  Africans  was  permitted  on  account  of  their  rebel- 
lion and  idolatry.  Brilliant  prospects  for  the  colored  man  in 
Liberia.  The  Author  exhorts  his  colored  brethren  to  reflect 
seriously,  and  choose  that  good  part  which  will  not  be  taken. 
from  them. 

I  would  commence  this  chapter  with  some  re- 
marks about  my  colored  brethren  who  are  under  the 
yoke  of  bondage.  Let  me  address  you  one  word  of 
consolation.  At  the  time  that  your  ancestors  were' 
brought  from  Africa,  the  rights  of  man  were  but 
little  understood ;  while  Africa  itself  was  a  land  of 
darkness,  where  the  people  made  merchandise  of 
each  other,  and  entirely  neglected  the  true  worship 
of  the  Almighty  God.  You  were  brought  hither 
5 


50  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

by  a  nation  who  are  now  said  to  be  your  best  friends, 
but  they  left  you  here  in  bondage.  The  land  from 
whence  you  came  is  still  in  darkness,  while  here  you 
are  daily  gaining  light  and  religion ;  and  although 
you  may  have  suffered,  and  may  suffer  still  more, 
yet  it  will  all  redound  to  the  glory  and  honor  of  the 
Lord ;  and,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  we  may  be  the 
•instruments  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord  for  redeeming 
that  very  land  from  the  darkness  of  ignorance  and 
superstition,  and  planting  the  banner  of  the  Cross  in 
that  wilderness  of  thorns  from  which  our  forefathers 
were  taken. 

The  great  evils  which  we  have  suffered  came  upon 
us,  our  forefathers,  and  our  nation,  on  account  of  our 
disobedience,  rebellion,  and  neglect  of  God.  Dear 
brethren,  the  remedy  for  these  evils  is  righteousness 
and  truth.  Be  willing  and  obedient,  and  you  shall 
eat  the  fat  of  the  land.  "Wait  patiently  upon  the 
Lord,  and  he  -will  briDg  about  all  things  in  the  ful- 
ness of  time ;  and  when  we  are  qualified,  we  shall 
return  to  that  country  out  of  which  our  fathers  came, 
and  light  it  up  with  the  pure  flame  of  the  Gospel,  so 
that  all  our  afflicted  people  may  be  restored  to  their 
liberty,  land,  and  nation,  and  the  Lord's  name  be 
praised  and  glorified  for  ever. 

It  is  said  that  the  number  of  colored  people  who 


DOOR    OF   DELIVERANCE.  51 

are  bound  is  three  millions,  while  the  free  are  about 
one-third  of  that  amount.  In  this  you  can  plainly 
discern  the  wonderful  agency  of  the  Lord,  for  at 
one  time  they  were  all  bound.  Since  then,  many 
have  been  released  from  bondage,  and  are  now  nomi- 
nally free  :  but  there  is  not  an  actually  free  colored 
person  in  the  United  States,  for  they  are  not  citizens. 
Every  intelligent  person  knows  this  to  be  a  fact.  It  ia 
for  this  cause  that  there  are  now  so  many  wise  and  good 
men,  wealthy  men  also,  together  with  a  great  num- 
ber of  honorable  and  benevolent  ladies,  standing  up 
in  our  behalf  and  pleading  our  humble  cause.  They 
have  even  opened  for  us  a  door  of  deliverance,  so 
that  we  may  enjoy  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of 
men,  both  religious  and  civil — so  that  we  may  serve 
and  worship  the  Lord  under  our  own  vine  and  fig- 
tree,  where  none  can  make  us  afraid.  It  is  wonder- 
ful to  see  what  pains  and  care  those  kind*  people 
have  taken  for  our  comfort  and  happiness.  Observe 
the  great  provision  that  is  made  for  us  both  on  land 
and  sea.  No  steamer  or  vessel  of  any  kind  could 
have  treated  their  passengers  better  than  those  were 
treated  who  sailed  in  the  barque  Isla  de  Cuba,  A. 
Miller,  master,  and  Mr.  Hatch,  chief  mate.  There 
was  every  attention  paid  to  all  the  passengers,  and 
nothing  which  could  be  necessary  to  their  comfort 


52  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

and  convenience  was  denied  them,  that  I  can  assure 
you. 

I  will  now  address  a  few  words  to  that  portion  of 
the  colored  population  which  is  called  free,  to  the 
colored  Churches  at  large,  &c. 

My  dear  brethren,  I  have  zeal  and  love  for  all 
mankind,  but  particularly  for  you,  my  afflicted  breth- 
ren, bone  of  my  bone,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh.  I  am 
sorry  to  say,  that  I  know  many  of  us  are  misled  by 
wrong  instruction,  by  not  taking  the  counsel  which 
the  Saviour  gave  his  disciples — that  is,  to  come  and 
see  for  yourselves.  But,  brethren,  you  see  what 
your  condition  is  in  the  United  States  of  America : 
you  know  that  you  cannot  obtain  your  citizenship. 
You  are  greatly  in  the  minority :  the  best  of  you  are 
deprived  of  their  rights  and  privileges,  and  so  you 
must  continue  to  be,  as  long  as  slavery  continues ; 
ffor  we  are  all  bound,  in  part,  by  the  same  cord,  the 
laws  and  customs  of  the  country  recognizing  us  as 
an  inferior  people. 

It  becomes  us,  then,  as  rational  beings,  to  examine 
these  things.  I  feel  myself  bound,  and  I  trust  that 
every  intelligent  man  and  woman  is  bound,  to  leave 
no  stone  unturned  for  the  bettering  of  the  condition 
of  the  colored  population  at  large,  in  a  peaceable, 
quiet,  and  religious  manner,  to  the  glory  and  honor 


SUFFERINGS    OF   THE    ISRAELITES.  53 

of  the  Lord,  and  the  peace  of  all  mankind.  Remem- 
ber, that  the  people  of  God  suffered  four  hundred 
years  in  Egypt,  and  in  the  fulness  of  time  the  Lord 
sent  them  Moses  as  a  deliverer  :  but  that  work  was 
not  accomplished  in  one  day.  It  required  a  long 
time  and  much  labor  to  accomplish  it.  The  suffer- 
ings of  the  Israelites  in  Egypt,  were  much  greater 
than  ours  in  this  country.  Their  children  were  put 
to  death  by  oppression,  and  they  lost  the  covenant 
of  their  forefathers  which  they  made  with  the  Lord, 
But  Moses  was  an  instrument  in  the  hands  of  the 
Lord,  in  leading  the  people  out  of  bondage.  Those 
people  were  among  the  heathens,  but  we  are  in  the 
midst  of  Christians :  their  taskmasters  made  no  pro- 
vision for  improving  the  condition  of  the  sufferers, 
but  there  is  good  provision  made  for  us  by  the  true 
friends  of  the  colored  race,  comprising  many  com- 
forts and  conveniences.  You  are  now  invited  to 
come  and  embrace  the  offer,  lest  the  time  may  arrive 
when  this  great  door  shall  be  shut,  so  that  you  can- 
not enter  in  and  enjoy  the  blessings  which  are  now 
held  out  for  your  acceptance.  Therefore,  come,  now 
or  never. 

There  is  another  advantage  which  you  have  over 
the  Hebrews.    The  rulers  of  Egypt  did  not  aid  them 
in  their  religious  worship  by  providing  churches  or 
5* 


54  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

any  other  conveniences :  but  the  Christian  commu- 
nity of  these  United  States  has  ever  been,  and  still 
is,  very  kind  and  benevolent  towards  us  in  all  cases. 
They  have  ever  aided  us  very  kindly  in  obtaining 
places  of  worship  for  the  religious  instruction  of  our 
unfortunate  people.  New- York,  New-Jersey,  and 
Pennsylvania,  have  ever  been  willing  and  ready  to 
aid  us  in  obtaining  places  of  worship  and  all  other 
good  institutions.  So  you  see  that  we  are  greatly 
blessed  in  those  important  particulars.  We  have 
now  Churches  and  Free  Schools  in  every  county  and 
city,  village  and  neighborhood. 

It  is  therefore  manifest,  that  there  is  no  lack  on 
the  part  of  the  religious  community,  though  there 
is  no  inconsiderable  neglect  upon  ours.  We  are 
greatly  indebted  to  all  the  States  East  of  New- York 
for  their  kind  treatment,  and  for  the  aid  which  they 
have  so  cheerfully  extended  to  us  in  all  our  humble 
enterprises.  They  have  done  much  for  us  in  a  great 
variety  of  ways. 

But  what  is  the  state  of  those  Churches  of  ours 
that  have  been  so  much  favored?  How  do  they 
prosper  now  ?  They  are  alj  fast  asleep.  They  are 
sheep  scattered  in  the  wilderness  without  a  shepherd, 
t»r  like  men  upon  a  raft  drifting  about  on  the  sea 
without  captain,  pilot,  chart,  or  compass.     They  are 


OUR    SENSE    OF    DUTIES.  55 

carried  every  way  but  the  right  way.  They  have 
suffered  shipwreck  by  reason  of  sin  and  self-interest 
on  the  part  of  their  spiritual  rulers.  Ministers  of 
my  colored  brethren,  it  is  needful  that  all  of  you 
should  wake  up  :  otherwise,  your  captains  and  shep- 
herds, crews,  cargoes,  and  passengers,  will  all  be 
swallowed  up  in  the  great  maelstrom  of  perdition. 

Therefore  we  call  your  serious  attention  to  a  great 
work.  Thou  that  sleepest,  awake,  for  the  night  is 
far  spent,  and  the  day  is  at  hand.  Watch  and  be 
sober,  as  we  have  never  yet  been  free  men  and  women 
in  this  country.  Now  the  time  has  come  when  we 
all  have  an  opportunity  to  embrace  our  freedom, 
both  moral  and  religious,  military  and  civil — houses 
and  lands  all  free  !  What  more  can  we  ask,  or 
what  more  can  be  done  for  us  at  this  time  ?  It  is 
now  high  time  for  us  to  go  to  work  in  the  right  way 
and  help  ourselves,  and  then  we  shall  find  help  in 
the  time  of  need.  Now  let  us  make  this  contract — 
if  you  awake  first,  please  wake  me  to  a  sense  of  my 
duties,  and  I  will  arise  and  go  to  work ;  but  if  I  awake 
first,  I  will  wake  you  up,  and  you  must  go  to  work 
for  yourself,  and  for  your  Church  and  people — in  fact, 
for  all  the  human  family.  This  is  th^  duty  of  all 
ministers  of  the  Gospel.  Brethren,  wiiat  have  we 
been  doing,  and  where  are  the  fruits  of  our  labor  ? 


56  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

I  fear  they  are  but  very  few.  What  is  the  cause  of 
this  ?  We  have  departed  from  the  first  principles 
of  the  Gospel.  Then,  let  us  stop  short,  retrace  our 
steps,  and  do  our  first  works,  and  the  Lord  will  bless 
us  :  he  will  bless  you  and  yours  for  ever. 

I  am  now  speaking  more  particularly  to  my  Pres- 
byterian and  Baptist  brethren.  With  both  denomi- 
nations I  am  well  acquainted,  with  you  and  your 
Churches,  both  white  and  colored.  You  are  all  kind 
and  friendly,  and  do  give  all  Christians  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship.  I  have  ever  found  Christian  fel- 
lowship with  you ;  indeed,  more  so  than  with  many 
others  who  make  much  louder  professions.  There- 
fore, I  say  unto  you,  be  faithful,  and  consider  the 
good  of  all  mankind.  I  have  found  the  ministers 
and  members  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
kind  and  benevolent  in  almost  all  cases  :  also,  the 
Universalist  ministers  and  societies  are  kind  and 
benevolent  people  :  also,  the  Friends — their  kindness 
is  seasoned  with  humanity  and  friendliness. 

Put,  I  am  now  about  to  speak  to  my  colored 
brethren  of  the  Methodist  order.  I  want  you  to 
hear  me.  Wake  up,  Zion,  from  your  slumbers,  shake 
the  dust  from  your  souls,  put  on  the  beautiful  gar- 
ment of  salvation,  and  shine  in  the  brightness  of 
renewed  hope,  for  the  light  is  come  and  the  glory  of 


THE    CHURCH    DIVIDED.  5 7 

the  Lord  is  iisen.  Let  all  darkness  flee  away  like 
the  shades  of  night  at  the  rising  of  the  sun.  We 
have  been  too  long  in  obscurity  already ;  we  have 
stumbled  one  over  another;  we  have  stood  in  our 
own  light.  We  are  carelessly  drifting  down  with 
the  tide*  of  prejudice  which  has  set  against  our  best 
friends :  we  have  wrongly  and  ignorantly  advised 
our  people  to  continue  in  the  same  course  ;  and  what 
is  the  result  of  all  these  things  ?  Bad — bad — bad 
enough !  In  the  first  place,  it  has  introduced  enmity 
into  your  Churches,  and  old  members  have  been  dis- 
regarded and  cast  out,  until  at  length  the  Church  is 
divided.  "  A  house  divided  against  itself,  it  cannot 
stand."     It  must  fall,  and  become  desolate. 

Had  we  been  deeply  engaged  in  sending  the  Gos- 
pel to  the  heathen  and  to  our  afflicted  brethren  in 
Africa  and  elsewhere,  you  would  not  have  had  all 
those  confusions  and  troubles  which  now  disgrace 
your  Churches.  While  these  evils  remain  in  your 
Churches,  religion  and  the  Son  of  God  are  gone  out 
of  them,  and  all  your  labors  and  offerings  are  vanity 
and  vexation  of  spirit.  Therefore,  look  well  to  those 
things,  and  consider  your  own  salvation  and  that  of 
all  those  under  your  charge. 

Let  us  not  rest  in  idly  persuading  people  to  that 
course  which  we  know  nothing  about;  but  let  us 


58  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

instruct  them  to  love  and  serve  the  Lord.  But  let 
them  be  their  own  judges  in  other  matters,  for  they 
know  what  is  best  for  themselves.  As  ministers,  let 
as  faithfully  do  that  which  is  appointed  for  us  to  d<! 
in  the  Gospel,  and  it  will  go  well  wTith  us  in  time  as 
well  as  in  eternity. 

I  now  speak  to  your  backsliding  sister  and  her 
ministers,  namely.  Bethel  and  all  her  branches.  Her 
acts  have  been  like  those  of  Zion,  but  rather  worse 
in  many  cases,  which  I  shall  endeavor  to  show  here- 
after, with  the  blessing  of  the  Lord.  I  thought  once 
that  you  were  true-hearted  and  faithful  followers  of 
the  meek  and  lowly  Lamb,  and  good  Christians.  I 
therefore  joined  in  faith  with  you :  I  travelled  a  long 
time  with  you  :  I  was  well  pleased  with  the  Church 
government  at  the  time.  They  were  poor  and  hum- 
ble :  I  believe  that  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  wa9 
wuth  them  :  I  held  prayer-meeting  with  them  :  I 
led  their  classes  and  exhorted  them  :  I  preached  for 
them,  and  remained  with  them  a  number  of  years, 
until  the  second  administration  ended.  After  that 
they  grew  fat,  like  the  heifer  at  grass,  kicked  up  their 
heels  and  bellowed,  waxed  proud  and  self-willed.  I 
therefore  left  them.  With  credit,  I  was  there  a 
long  time.  But  I  thank  the  Lord  that  there  wa? 
never  a  charge  brought  against  me.     Yet  I  was  en 


BETHEL   M.   E.    CHURCH    REPROVED.  59 

vied  and  deprived  of  my  legal  rights.  I  saw  their 
backsliding  and  ignominy,  and  fully  I  told  them 
thereof  to  their  faces. 

What  I  foretold  them  came  to  pass-.  I,  therefore, 
cleared  my  skirts  of  their  blood.  I  now  speak  more 
plainly  to  them  than  before.  Dear  brethren  and 
sisters  of  the  Bethel  M.  E.  Church  in  Philadelphia, 
the  mother  of  all  the  branches,  your  Church  com- 
menced under  the  superintendence  of  Rev.  Richard 
Allen.  Since  1816,  it  had  increased  very  conside- 
rably, and  they  did  well  until  after  the  election  of 
Rev.  Paul  Quin  of  New- York,  but  formerly  of  Penn- 
sylvania. 

After  his  installation,  there  was  great  dissatisfac- 
tion with  respect  to  the  neglect  of  the  discipline  and 
other  rules  of  the  Church.  It  ended  in  a  heavy  law- 
suit and  a  split  in  the  Church — a  malicious  division. 
The  Church  has  never  since  been  settled,  and  yet 
they  wanted  to  extend  their  borders  and  their  power. 
They  petitioned  for  two  more  Bishops,  and  the  pe- 
tition was  granted.  Therefore  they  appointed  a  Mr. 
Willis  Nazua,  formerly  from  Virginia,  and  Daniel  A. 
Payne,  from  Charleston,  S.  C.  Thus  they  have  three 
bishops  :  the  two  last  were  elected  in  1853.  Now 
they  have  then*  desire ;  but  there  is  a  great  deal  to 
do.     Those  three  bishops  must  be  supported,  their 


60  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

hohtd,  lodging,  and  travelling  expenses  paid  by  their 
poor  societies  and  classes. 

The  question  may  arise,  Why  do  they  want  three 
bishops  ?  I  answer,  Why  does  the  ape  attempt  to 
imitate  the  human  family  ?  It  is  because  he  lacks 
understanding,  and  does  not  perceive  that  Nature 
has  never  bestowed  upon  him  the  proper  faculties 
for  doing  the  works  or  performing  the  part  of  a 
human  being.  They  aspire  to  stand  on  a  level  with 
the  white  brethren  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  will  have  three  bishops  because  the  white  Meth- 
odists are  ruled  by  three  bishops.  If  they  had  re- 
flected a  moment,  they  would  have  seen  the  absurdity 
of  the  proceeding.  There  is  as  much  difference  be- 
tween the  two  societies,  as  there  is  between  the  Hud- 
son River  and  the  great  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  wealth 
of  the  other  Church  and  her  members,  the  intelligence 
and  literary  talent  of  her  ministers,  their  extensive 
fields  of  labor  among  all  nations,  and  the  mighty 
influence  which  they  wield,  have  opened  a  passage 
to  all  the  benefits  and  blessings  of  the  world,  while 
the  power  of  the  Gospel  which  they  preach  has 
opened  Heaven  and  all  its  glories  to  thousands  whom 
they  have  persuaded  to  live  righteously  and  godly 
in  this  present  world.  But  our  backsliding  and  re- 
bellious sister,  Bethel  Church  of  Philadelphia,  the 


BRILLIANT    PROSPECTS    IN    LIBERIA.  61 

mother  of  all  the  branches,  has  revolted  twice  al- 
ready ;  then  was  guilty  of  oppression,  and  violated 
the  discipline  of  the  Church  and  rules  of  government 
from  motives  of  malice  and  revenge ;  and  even,  with 
three  bishops  at  her  head,  made  a  most  stupid  mis- 
take and  blunder  in  Conference  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  in 
the  year  1853,  of  which  I  may  speak  hereafter. 

I  thank  the  Lord  that  I  left  you,  with  my  own 
skirts  untarnished  by  your  blood.  Nothing  could 
induce  me  to  be  a  bishop  among  you.  I  thank  the 
Lord  that  I  am  a  free  man  in  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  and  I  am  an  humble  Elder  in  the 
Church  of  God,  on  board  of  the  barque  Isla  de  Cuba, 
with  a  two-fold  mission  for  Monrovia,  Liberia,  Wes- 
tern Africa ;  firstly,  to  bear  the  Gospel  to  my  breth- 
ren and  see  how. they  do,  and  secondly,  to  see  and 
hold  an  interview  with  the  head  of  that  Government, 
touching  the  condition  of  those  who  are  there,  and 
the  prospect  for  those  who  are  about  to  go  to  that 
quarter  of  the  globe.  I  go  also  to  see  what  good 
results  from  cultivating  the  minds,  as  well  as  the 
lands,  of  the  heathen.  I  believe  that  great  treasures 
are  embedded  in  those  lands,  and  that  only  under- 
standing and  enterprise  are  wanting  to  bring  them 
to  light.  It  remains  for  us  to  go  forth,  sons  and 
daughters  of  Ethiopia,  embrace  our  privileges,  obtain 
6 


62  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

the  lands,  dwell  thereon,  and  become  a  great  nation. 
Then  the  heathen  will  be  turned  from  their  idols, 
and  join  the  true  worship :  then  Ethiopia' will  stretch 
her  hands  unto  God,  and  the  islands  shall  be  filled 
with  his  glory.  Thus  shall  we  be  a  blessing  to  all 
people,  and  all  people  will  be  a  blessing  to  us,  and 
the  Lord  will  prosper  us  in  all  things. 

To  return  to  our  backsliding  sister  and  her  rulers  : 
Dear  brethren,  I  hope  that  you  will  examine  your- 
selves well  in  the  Gospel  glass,  and  see  if  you  are 
what  you  ought  to  be,  if  you  are  doing  what  you 
ought  to  do,  that  is,  to  preach  the  Gospel  faithfully 
to  all,  walk  humbly,  do  unto  others  as  you  would 
have  them  do  unto  you,  not  spending  your  time  in 
giving  unwholesome  advice  to  the  people  and  to  the 
members  of  your  Church,  but  suffering  the  people  to 
judge  for  themselves  in  temporal  matters.  I  have 
said  that  those  three  bishops  of  yours  must  be  sup- 
ported. It  is  true  that  they  should  be,  if  they  were 
the  right  kind  of  men.  But  they  spend  too  much 
of  their  time  in  giving  bad  advice  to  the  people,  and 
raising  evil  reports  against  a  humane,  benevolent, 
and  Christian  institution,  making  them  believe  that 
good  is  evil,  and  that  light  is  darkness.  Such  teach- 
ings are  abominable.  Look  in  the  glass  and  see 
yourselves,  all  in  the  dark  as  you  are.     It  is  better 


ON    GIVING    ADVICE.  63 

for  you  to  retract — to  cease  to  do  evil,  and  learn  to 
do  well.  The  question  comes  up — why  do  you  give 
the  people  such  advice?  It  is  easy  to  give  the 
answer — it  is  because  you  must  keep  them  together 
that  they  may  maintain  you  and  the  ordinary  minis- 
ters. You  would  keep  them  up  like  sheep,  that  you 
may  catch  them  easily,  and  shear  off  their  fleece  for 
your  own  benefit.  You  will  not  let  them  go  to 
Africa,  or  anywhere  else,  lest  you  lose  the  support 
which  you  derive  from  them  while  they  remain  with 
you.  What  is  the  condition,  and  what  are  the  cir- 
cumstances of  those  from  whom  these  Bishops  re- 
ceive their  support  ?  They  are,  generally,  very  poor 
people,  with  little  employment,  and  paying  heavy 
rents,  with  large  families  to  maintain,  which  is  enough 
to  sink  them  to  the  earth,  without  the  super-added 
weight  of  three  bishops,  two  of  whom  are  of  no  more 
necessity  to  that  little  society  than  a  pair  of  double 
spectacles  to  a  blind  man. 

How  do  the  old  and  sickly  members  fare  ?  Badly 
enough  !  After  having  served  the  Church,  aided  in 
paying  the  ministers  for  some  fifteen  or  twenty  years, 
and  having  labored  thus  for  the  support  of  the  Gos- 
pel all  through  their  best  days,  they  have  found  no 
help  in  their  old  age  from  either  ministers  or  lay 
members.     It  is  a  shame  to  tell  these  infirm   and 


64  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

faithful  brethren  that  they  must  go  to  the  Poor- 
House,  at  the  very  time  that  they  ought  to  be  taken 
care  of  by  the  Church.  But  they  are  cast  off  when 
they  should  be  provided  for,  and  are  permitted  to 
pine  away  and  die  among  those  who  are  called  "  sin- 
ners" and  "  the  ungodly."  It  is  a  shame  that  this 
should  be  the  case  in  any  Christian  Church ;  and 
therefore  it  would  be  well  for  those  gentlemen  who 
have  charge  of  institutions  for  the  poor,  io  look  well 
to  the  matter  when  they  are  applied  to  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  admission  to  an  individual,  and  dis- 
cover whether  he  belongs  to  a  Church  or  not. 

Dear  brethren,  and  rulers  of  the  backsliding  sister 
and  her  branches,  let  us  pray  for  this  Church ;  for 
the  Lord  will  hear  prayer.  Oh !  backsliding  sister ! 
why  will  you  die  ?  Return,  repent,  and  do  thy  first 
works,  and  the  Lord  will  have  mercy  and  abundantly 
pardon  you  and  receive  you,  "  and  you  shall  be  my 
sons  and  daughters,  and  I  will  be  a  father  unto  you," 
saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts.  Dear  brethren,  we  will  go 
back  to  Buffalo  for  a  few  moments,  for  in  wise  coun- 
sel there  is  safety,  but  in  ignorance,  there  is  great 
danger. 

You  remember  that  in  Conference,  in  New- York, 
a  yeai  since,  there  was  an  application  made  for  an 


THE  CONFERENCE  AT  BUFFALO.        65 

individual  to  receive  orders  and  join  the  travelling 
connection ;  but  Messrs.  R.  R.,  J.  P.,  L.  E.  C.  and 
others,  rose  and  said  "we  don't  know  you,"  &c. 
At  that  time  Bishop  Cnin  was  in  the  chair,  and 
was  weak  enough  to  give  way  to  those  unreasonable 
men.  He  was  silent  upon  that  important  occasion, 
and  thus  the  matter  ended.  So  the  applicant  went 
about  his  business,  and  thought  no  more  of  the  affair ; 
but,  at  their  Conference  in  Buffalo,  they  wickedly 
called  this  mau  in  question,  although  he  had  no  seat 
there,  nor  voice,  nor  business.  Neither  was  there 
any  charge  against  him,  nor  any  notice  given  hi  in. 
He  knew  nothing  of  the  matter ;  yet  they  took  up 
the  case  and  acted  upon  it.  After  that,  they  pub- 
lished him  to  the  world,  through  their  minutes,  as 
an  offender.  The  innocent  man  knew  nothing  of  the 
case  for  some  time,  until  passing  through  Borden  - 
town,  N.  J.,  he  met  with  one  of  their  ministers,  (a 
Mr.  Catto,)  who  informed  him  that  he  had  been  tried 
at  the  Buffalo  Conference,  and  that  he  could  not 
admit  him  to  his  pulpit,  because  Bishop  Xazua  had 
charged  him  not  to  allow  the  man  any  privilege  in 
his  Church,  as  he  was  an  offender.  But  Mr.  Catto 
advised  the  man  to  see  to  the  matter,  and  if  his  per- 
secutors had  acted  as  related  above,  to  bring  them 
6* 


6Q  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

to  an  account  for  their  unlawful  dealings ;  for  they 
were  contrary  to  the  Church  discipline,  and  the  laws 
of  this  country. 

I  next  call  your  attention  to  the  Sabbath  schools. 
At  the  Conference,  they  came  to  a  resolve  that  no 
white  person  should  teach  in  the  schools :  they  would 
have  none  but  colored  teachers.  The  other  proceed- 
ing which  I  have  related,  shows  how  well  qualified 
they  are  to  teach  their  pupils.  Mr.  Robertson  stated 
that  the  great  blunder  in  the  Buffalo  Conference  was 
caused  by  the  advice  given  by  the  Bishop,  the  Rev. 
Wm.  P.  Quin  :  but  I  think  him  a  man  of  better 
judgment  than  to  advise  such  proceedings. 

There  were  several  ladies  and  gentlemen — very 
kind  friends  of  the  colored  people — who  had  been 
laboring  a  number  of  years  to  impart  instruction  to 
colored  children.  They  had  become  much  attached 
to  the  children,  and  the  children  had  also  become 
much  attached  to  them.  When  it  was  told  them 
that  Conference  had  decided  to  reject  white  teachers, 
they  withdrew  from  the  schools.  The  consequence 
was,  that  both  parents  and  children  became  very 
much  dissatisfied,  and  left  the  Church ;  for  nothing 
reigned  there  but  tumult  and  confusion,  instead  of 
peace  and  harmony. 

These  calamities  arise  from  putting  men  at  the 


THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 


61 


Rev.  D.  H.  Peterson  in  the  Pulpit. 

"  All  power  is  given  nnto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth  ;  go  ye,  there- 
fore, and  teach  all  nations."  j 
"And,  lo  !  1  am  with  you  alway,  eyen  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 


THE    CHURCH    IN    SIXTH    STREET.  69 

head  of  the  Church  who  are  no  more  fitted  for  the 
ion  than  is  a  child  three  years  old  to  act  as  cap- 
tain of  a  ship  in  a  storm  upon  a  lee  shore. 

Among  others  who  assisted  the  colored  people, 
were  Dr.  R.  F.  Hibbard  and  ladies,  Dr.  Worrel  and 
ladies,  and  that  benevolent  lady,  Mrs.  Few,  of  Ninth 
street.  She  came  in  person,  and  aided  the  Church, 
and  gave  good  advice  in  relation  to  the  management 
of  the  school  in  Sixth  street.  It  is  by  ignorance  and 
oppression,  that  the  Church  in  Second  street  became 
divided.  It  is  a  branch  of  Bethel,  the  backsliding 
sister. 

The  Church  in  Sixth  street  bids  fair  to  become  a 
very  useful  and  beneficial  institution.  It  contributes 
greatly  towards  the  moral  and  religious  improvement 
of  the  colored  population.  Their  minister,  Rev.  L. 
Tehnon,  the  founder  and  pastor  of  that  Church,  is 
an  active,  capable  man.  That  Church  is  established 
on  better  principles  than  any  colored  Church  in  the 
States — on  free,  republican  principles.  Tier  pastor 
has  done,  and  is  doing,  all  that  he  can  for  the  im- 
provement of  the  rising  generation  ;  and  if  he  con- 
tinues to  be  faithful,  he  will  be  a  blessing  to  the 
people,  and  a  blessing  to  himself.  If  he  foil,  it  will 
be  otherwise.  I  therefore  recommend  humiliation, 
fai'h,  and  fervent  prayer  to  himself  and  congrega- 


70  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

tion,  and  to  all  others,  that  it  may  be  well  "with  them 
in  time  and  in  eternity. 

I  believe  that  the  Rev.  L.  Telmon  is  a  man  cf  too 
much  sound  judgment  to  teach  the  people  folly,  and 
to  prejudice  them  against  their  best  friends.  He 
will  permit  the  people  to  act  for  themselves  in  tem- 
poral matters,  and  to  go  where  they  please.  If  an y 
of  them  wish  to  go  to  Canada,  let  them  go ;  if  an} 
want  to  go  to  Hayti,  let  them  go.  They  should  be 
at  liberty  to  go  where  they  please  ;  but  there  is  no 
better  place  than  Liberia  for  the  sons  and  daughters 
of  Ethiopia.  Therefore,  I  say,  let  us  embrace  the 
opportunity  while  we  can,  and  pray  that  the  blessing 
of  the  Lord  may  go  with  us  and  keep  us  for  ever. 

What  I  have  done  and  am  still  doing,  is,  and  has 
been,  without  fee  or  reward,  and  solely  for  the  welfare 
of  my  afflicted  nation :  for  I  have  now  seen  for  my- 
self, and  amJbound  to  make  a  true  report  in  all  things. 
I  say,  let  no  men  speak  evil  of  things  that  they  know 
nothing  about.  If  they  do,  it  is  the  blind  leading 
the  blind. 

The  person  that  was  so  badly  treated  by  the  Con 
ference  at  Buffalo  without  having  committed  any 
offence,  was  the  man  whom  they  knew  to  be  engaged 
in  looking  into  these  matters.  He  was  concerned 
for  the  welfare  of  his  brethren  in  Africa,  in  America, 


ADVANTAGES    OF   EDUCATION.  71 

and  elsewhere.  Therefore  they  conspired  together 
to  kill  and  destroy  his  influence.  They  are  wicked 
men  :  they  are  such  men  as  those  who  opposed  Moses 
in  Egypt ;  they  shall  proceed  so  far  and  no  farther, 
for  the  Lord  is  over  all,  blessed  for  evermore. 

Dear  brethren,  I  now  propose  to  consider  a  mo- 
ment the  school  instruction  of  our  people  in  the 
United  States — their  Infant  Schools,  Sabbath- Schools, 
Free  and  Pay  Schools,  Seminaries,  Academies,  and 
Colleges.  Some  of  our  afflicted  people  have  been 
assisted  in  all  those  places,  and  have  been  admitted 
to  all  the  advantages  thereof.  Now,  what  have  they 
gained  by  all  these  advantages  ?  Very  little,  indeed. 
But  why  is  this  ?  It  is  because  the  laws,  customs, 
and  usages  are  such  as  to  impede  their  improvement. 
The  United  States  are  a  wise,  wealthy,  and  proud 
nation,  and  will  not  be  coerced  into  anything  which 
does  not  suit  their  pleasure.  Notwithstanding  this, 
if  we  take  them  right,  there  are  no  better  people  in 
the  world.  They  are  kind,  humane,  and  benovolent 
to  all  those  whom  they  deem  worthy  of  their  atten- 
tion. But,  dear  brethren,  I  want  you  to  consider  at 
Jiis  time,  that  this  nation  was  not  the  cause  of  our 
forefathers  being  plunged  into  bondage.  It  was  the 
British  nation,  who,  in  an  age  of  darkness,  made 
slaves  of  the  colored  people ;  and  although  we  aro 


72  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

multiplied  to  millions  and  Lave  grown  up  under  the 
laws  and  customs  of  this  country,  yet  three-fourths 
of  us  are  in  bondage;  and  are  we  so  very  weak  as 
to  imagine  that  a  wise  nation  like  this  will  take  those 
who  are  free  and  place  them  upon  an  equality  with 
themselves,  while  so  great  a  majority  of  our  afflicted 
people  are  in  bondage  under  them  ? 

Dear  brethren,  know  ye  not  that  every  colored 
person,  of  whatever  shade,  so  that  he  have  African 
blood  in  his  veins,  is  ruled  and  governed  under  the 
same  law  and  viewed  in  the  same  light  ?  Therefore 
we  need  not  look  to  the  right  or  to  the  left — neither 
to  brother  John,  uncle  Tom,  nor  to  sister  Nancy,  for 
our  deliverance  ;  but  let  us  look  to  the  blessed  Lord, 
and  be  faithful  in  all  things,  take  the  good  advice  of 
our  best  friends,  be  willing  and  obedient,  and  we 
shall  enjoy  the  good  of  the  land. 

Dear  brethren,  I  want  you  to  examine  yourselves 
well  in  the  glass,  and  consider  all  things  well,  and 
thus  you  will  discover  what  is  good  for  you  in  time 
and  in  eternity.  Let  us  think  of  Africa  for  a  few  mo- 
ments. Know  you  not  that,  in  the  beginning,  the 
blessed  Lord  gave  this  great  quarter  of  the  earth  to 
our  nation,  and  bade  us  keep  the  Law  and  live  ?  But 
our  progenitors  were  rebellious  and  disobedient,  and 
refused  to  serve  the  true  and  living  God.    They  wor 


WANT    OF    FACILITIES.  V3 

shipped  other  gods,  and  wasted  their  substance  upon 
idols.  Therefore  they  were  left  to  follow  the  desire 
of  their  own  wicked  hearts ;  and  finally,  they  were 
suffered  to  be  carried  away  captive,  like  the  rebellious 
Israelites,  barefoot,  naked,  and  in  fetters.  They 
were  borne  to  a  strange  land,  and  left  among  a 
people  whom  they  knew  not.  But  what  is  the  re- 
sult ?  Solomon  says,  "  There  is  a  time  to  all  things." 
In  the  fulness  of  time,  the  Lord  will  bring  everything 
to  bear  in  its  right  place.  It  is  of  no  use  for  man 
to  hurry  and  push  things  of  this  weighty  nature. 
We  can  do  nothing  without  hel*>  from  the  Lord. 

The  reason  that  our  brethren  who  have  had  the 
advantages  of  the  high  schools  do  not  arrive  at  emi- 
nence, has  already  been  given.  Although  they  may 
have  received  all  the  knowledge  required  for  prefer- 
ment, they  have  no  facilities  for  bringing  their  accom- 
plishments into  exercise  in  real  life.  They  go  forth, 
looking  for  employment ;  they  wander  through  many 
places  seeking  for  business  and  finding  none.  They 
knock  at  many  doors  for  admittance — the  porter 
looks  out,  sees  the  complexion  of  the  applicant,  and 
bids  him  go  farther  and  fare  worse.  He  wanders 
away  dejected  and  forlorn,  and  perhaps  plunges  into 
vice,  and,  lamenting  the  time  which  he  has  squan- 
dered in  procuring  an  education  which  seems  to  be 
7 


74  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

so  useless  to  him  for  all  practical  purposes,  lie  joins 
with  the  ignorant  and  profane  in  some  low  pursuit 
which  his  superior  education  has  rendered  unsuitable 
for  him. 

But  he  hears  a  white  citizen  knock  at  those  doors. 
They  fly  open  as  of  themselves,  and  a  cheerful  voice 
says,  "  Walk  in,  brother,  and  view  the  beauties  of 
the  place,  the  wealth,  honor,  peace,  and  happiness 
th&t  bloom  perennially  in  the  field  before  you.  Par- 
take with  us  of  those  blessings,  from  which  the  col- 
ored applicant  is  shut  out." 

You  know  that  these  are  facts.  Also,  many  of 
the  hotels  will  not  admit  you.  The  street  convey- 
ances close  the  door  against  you.  We  labor  under 
many  disadvantages  :  and  do  you  not,  dear  brethren, 
see  plainly,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  in  this  great 
matter  ?  In  by-gone  times,  we  were  carried  away 
naked  from  the  father-land,  but  are  now  going  back 
with  the  arts  and  sciences,  with  the  Bible  in  our 
hands,  to  plant  religion  and  civilization. 

The  blessed  Lord  has  raised  up  great  and  good 
men  who  have  opened  this  door,  more  effectually  than 
any  other  door  which  can  be  opened  in  this  country, 
ot  in  any  other  part  of  the  world.  For  there  is  no 
part  of  the  known  world  to  which  you  can  go,  in 
which  you  will  not  be  subjected  to,  disadvantages, 


BRILLIANT   PROSPECTS   IN    LIBERIA,  75 

with  the  sole  exception  of  Liberia,  in  Africa.  There 
the  laws  are  liberal,  and  all  men  fare  alike  nnder  the 
flag  of  that  young  republic,  and  encouraged  by  that 
great  nation,  the  United  States  of  America.  This 
greatest  republic  in  the  known  world  is  bound  to 
protect  and  raise  up  that  young  nation  to  a  level 
with  herself,  if  we,  as  a  people,  will  take  counsel  and 
seek  the  right  way.  By  obedience  to  the  truth,  we 
shall  then  eat  the  good  of  the  land.  In  that  country 
is  a  field  large  enough  for  the  employment  of  all 
your  talents  in  every  way  and  shape,  either  moral, 
religious,  civil  or  military.  There  no  doors  will  be 
shut  against  you,  but  all  is  as  free  as  the  air  of  heaven. 
Therefore,  go  forth  without  delay,  and  claim  your 
rights  as  freemen  and  freewomen,  and  you  will  have 
great  cause  to  rejoice.  But  nothing  like  vice  should 
be  carried  into  that  country.  Violins  and  other  tri- 
fling kinds  of  music  should  be  left  behind, — they 
only  gender  idleness  and  folly :  but  let  us  keep  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  before  us,  and  in  a  few  years  we 
shall  be  a  great  nation,  respected  by  the  rest  of 
mankind.  The  fruits  and  productions  of  Africa  will 
be  carried  throughout  the  world  ;  her  ships  will  visit 
all  nations,  and  her  flag  will  wave  in  every  sea. 


76  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Good  treatment  on  board  the  Isla  de  Cuba.  Departure  for 
Liberia.  Worship  on  board  every  Sabbath.  Much  sea-sick- 
ness. Kind  attentions  of  Capt.  Miller.  Warm  weather  on  the 
Coast  of  Africa.  Unsuccessful  attempts  to  take  a  turtle.  Se- 
rious accident  to  the  mate,  Mr.  Hatch.  They  catch  a  shark, 
and  cook  him  for  dinner.  Description  of  Cape  Mount.  A 
beautiful  fish.  Visit  from  a  little  bird.  Visits  from  the  na- 
tives on  the  Coast.  Arrival  at  Monrovia.  Mr.  Cauldwell 
goes  on  shpre. 

On  board  of  the  Isla  de  Cuba  we  had  passengers 
of  all  ages,  from  infancy  to  the  most  advanced  sta- 
ges of  life.  Some  were  eighty  and  even  ninety 
years  of  age.  They  were  all  well  treated  by  Capt. 
Miller,  Mr.  Hatch,  the  mate,  and  the  crew.  You 
can  see  that  all  things  are  made  easy  and  convenient 
for  us.     It  is  only  for  us  to  be  ready  and  willing. 

By  aid  and  >good  counsel  of  ministers  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  all  good  men  who  possess  sound  minds, 
and  desire  the  welfare  of  the  colored  people,  more 
good  can  be  done  in  one  year  than  has  ever  been 
done  by  them  before,  in  pointing  out  the  right  way 


THE    BARQUE    ISLA   DE    CUBA.  77 

for  our  relief.  There  is  great  power  vested  in  the 
administration  of  the  Gospel ;  and  if  the  ministers 
were  all  of  one  mind,  they  could  carry  every  thing 
before  them.  They  have  been  too  much  divided, 
but  I  pray  that  the  time  may  arrive  when  they  will 
all  see  eye  to  eye. 

I  will  now  observe  that  I  was  very  agreeably  dis- 
appointed with  regard  to  the  treatment  of  the  emi- 
grants on  board  the  Isla  de  Cuba.  When  I  went 
on  board  of  the  barque,  I  saw  the  passengers  coming 
from  all  quarters,  from  the  North,  the  South,  the 
East,  and  the  West.  Some  came  without  any  cloth- 
ing except  what  they  had  on,  and  also  without  bed- 
ding. The  ship  was  about  to  sail,  when  the  Rev. 
J.  B.  Penny  came  on  board  to  see  the  state  of  the 
passengers.  He  found  some  in  a  very  uncomfort- 
able condition,  owing  to  the  fact  that  they  had  neg- 
lected to  bring  their  goods  with  them.  There  was  a 
Mr.  Jacklin,  from  Franklin  County,  N".  Y.,  with  his 
wife  and  two  sons,  who  were  destitute  of  any  com- 
forts at  all.  The  ship  lay  a  mile  in  the  stream,  but 
Mr.  Penny  returned  to  the  city,  and  although  the 
wind  was  very  high  and  the  water  rough,  he  came 
off  to  the  barque  again,  and  brought  with  him  new 
beds  and  clothing  kfor  the  destitute  emigrants, 
amounting  in  price  to  nearly  one  hundred  dollars. 


78  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 

He  came  off  to  us  in  a  small  boat,  at  the  risk  of  his 
life.  He  made  sure  that  every  one  was  comfortable, 
then  gave  them  the  right  hand  of  friendship,  and 
bade  them  adieu. 

We  sailed  the  next  day  with  prosperous  gales, 
Nov.  10th,  1853.  Capt.  Miller,  Mr.  Hatch,  and  all 
the  crew,  were  very  kind  to  us.  "We  wanted  no- 
thing, and  we  all  fared  alike.  It  was  the  begin- 
ning of  better  days.  The  steerage  passengers  had 
more  than  an  abundance  of  everything.  I  am  fully 
persuaded  that  there  was  no  deception  about  the  mat- 
ter. The  truth  has  come  out  at  last,  and  if  the 
truth  shall  make  you  free,  then  will  you  be  free 
indeed. 

Capt.  Miller  is  a  first  rate  officer  on  board  ship, 
a  perfect  gentleman,  and  a  Christian.  He  spares  no 
pains  to  insure  the  safety  of  the  ship  and  the  com- 
fort of  his  passengers  and  crew,  attending  faithfully 
to  the  cleanliness  of  his  vessel,  above  and  below. 
Mr.  Hatch  is  also  a  first' rate  man,  and  both  of  them 
from  the  State  of  Maine.  I  never  heard  the  Captain 
speak  a  harsh  word  from  the  time  that  we  left  the 
dock  at  New- York  till  we  arrived  at  our  port  of  des- 
tination. All  things  were  conducted  as  peacefully 
as  they  could  have  been  managed  in  any  family. 
Therefore,  I  feel  very  thankful  for  the  blessing  of  the 


THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 


79 


Rev.  D.  H.  Peterson  embarking  for  Western  Africa  on  board  the 
barque  Isla  de  Cuba,  Capt.  Miller. 


DEPARTURE    FOR    LIBERIA.  81 

Lord,  which  has  preserved  me  from  childhood  up  to 
the  present  time. 

I  will  say  in  this  place,  that  those  who  gc  to  Li- 
beria should  be  careful  to  take  with  them  such  medi- 
cines as  are  calculated  to  keep  the  bowels  free.  That 
will  add  much  to  their  health  when  they  reach  port, 
and  as  going  to  sea  produces  costiveness,  this  caution 
should  be  remembered.  Some  were  quite  sea-sick, 
and  I  aided  Capt.  Miller  in  his  attendance  upon 
them.  They  all  recovered  and  became  fully  restored 
to  health,  and  we  went  on  our  way  rejoicing. 

I  thank  the  Lord  that  I  was  able  to  fulfil  all  my 
duties  while  on  board  the  barque,  that  is,  to  preach 
once  on  the  Sabbath,  hold  prayers  every  morning 
and  evening,  and  say  grace  at  every  meal. 

I  kept  the  following  account  of  the  passage  : — 

Nov.  7th,  1853.  I  went  on  board  the  barque 
Isla  de  Cuba,  Capt.  Miller,  bound  to  Monrovia,  Li- 
beria, Africa,  and  lying  at  New- York. 

8th.  A  steamboat  came  alongside,  and  towed  us 
down  the  river,  where  we  came  to  an  anchor.  The 
Captain  went  ashore  for  the  ship's  papers. 

9th.  The  Captain  returned  to  the  ship  at  10 
o'clock  A.  M.  Rev.  Mr.  Penny,  the  agent,  soon  after 
came  on  board  with  bedding  and  clothing  for  the 
poor  strangers  who  had  come  from  afar,  and  were 


82  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

bound  to  Liberia.  Mr.  Penny  paid  great  resiect  to 
all  the  passengers,  both  male  and  female,  and  bade 
us  all  good-bye  in  a  very  friendly  manner.  He 
then  went  ashore.  Capt.  Miller  weighed  anchor  at 
4  P.  M.  and  we  went  down  the  Bay.  We  had  on 
board  fifty -six  passengers — first  mate,  Mr.  Hatch,  se- 
cond mate,  Mr.  James  Magill,  with  steward,  cook,  and 
ship's  company.  For  all,  there  were  good  accommo- 
dations. We  came  to  an  anchor  on  the  same  eve- 
ning at  6  o'clock,  near  the  light-house  wmich  stands 
on  the  Highlands,  Sandy  Hook.  Some  of  the  steer- 
age passengers  were  quite  sea-sick. 

10th.  In  the  morning,  we  left  the  anchorage  and 
went  to  sea,  with  a  fair  wind  and  bright  sunshine. 
All  in  good  spirits  upon  leaving  the  High  lands  of 
New-Jersey  upon  the  starboard,  and  that  of  New- 
York  on  the  larboard  quarter.  Same  morning  we 
met  a  pilot  boat,  No.  1,  going  to  New- York. 

11th.  At  10  o'clock,  we  made  the  Gulf  Stream. 
Rough  sea,  and  passengers  very  sick.  Ship  is  get- 
ting on  very  well. 

12th.  Very  rough.  All  sick.  Some  glass  broken 
by  the  motion  of  the  vessel. 

1 3  th .  Sabbath.  Strong  gales  from  the  South-East. 
All  sick. 

14th.  The  same.     Steward  sick,  with  a  pain  in 


JOURNAL  OF  THE  VOYAGE.  83 

his  side  and  head.  Ship  driven  by  contrary  winds 
in  the  Gulf  Stream  for  three  days.  Capt.  Miller  and 
chief  mate  are  quiet  and  skilful  men.  They  do  all 
they  can  for  the  good  of  the  ship's  crew  and  passen- 
gers. The  Captain  stated  that  he  had  not  experi- 
enced worse  weather  for  fifteen  years. 

1 5th.  We  caught  a  fair  breeze  and  steady.  Made 
good  headway.  The  passengers  are  getting  better, 
but  the  steward  continues  sick  with  a  pain  in  his 
Bide  and  head.  The  captain  paid  every  medical 
attention  to  him,  and  to  all  others. 

16th.  Steward  a  little  better,  but  still  very  sick. 
A  pleasant  day.  In  the  evening  the  wind  rose. 
Heavy  sea.  Weather  over-cast.  We  sprung  a  leak, 
but  pumped  out  dry.  Mr.  Cauldwell  was  sitting 
near  me  conversing,  when  there  came  a  heavy  sea 
which  threw  him  against  the  vessel's  side  and  hurt 
his  head  very  much.  Rough  sea,  and  all  sick.  I 
have  eaten  no  meat  for  nine  days. 

17th.  Very  rough.  They  have  removed  a  sick 
woman  up  in  the  cabin  with  Mrs.  Gibbons.  There 
were  some  spars  carried  away  during  the  night.  I 
thank  the  Lord  that  I  was  comfortable  and  without 
fear.     I  endeavored  to  put  my  trust  in  the  Lord. 

18th.  Very  stormy.  Many  sick.  Cook  very 
sick.     We  passed  three  vessels — a  ship,  a  brig,  and 


84  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

a  barque.  I  thank  the  Lord  that  we  have  had  sing- 
ing, and  praying,  and  grace  before  meat,  all  the  pas- 
sage, the  same  as  we  have  on  shore. 

19th.  A  ship  passed  us  in  the  morning  early, 
probably  bound  to  JSTew-York.  We  passed  a  large 
school  of  porpoises  and  flying-fish.  It  has  been 
blowing  a  gale  all  day.     The  steward  is  better. 

20th.  Sabbath.""  A  beautiful  day.  Prayer  morn- 
ing and  evening.  I  preached  in  the  afternoon  from 
Jonah,  chap.  h\,  verse  11.  "We  were'  then  about 
one  thousand  miles  from  New- York.  We  saw  a 
ship  bound  to  America.  I  have  seen  on  board  what 
I  have  prayed  for,  the  worship  of  the  blessed  Lord 
at  sea  as  well  as  on  dry  land. 

21st.  A  fine  morning.  A  perfect  calm,  and  the 
sea  as  smooth  as  the  river  Delaware.     All  well. 

22nd.  A  fine  day.  Very  pleasant ;  neither  too 
warm  nor  too  cold.  Light  breezes,  favorable.  The 
blessings  and  glory  of  the  Lord  seemed  to  be  with 
the  ship,  officers,  crew,  and  passengers.  Behold  the 
rising  sun,  the  clear  sky,  the  flying  clouds  over  our 
heads,  and  we  riding  on  the  bosom  of  the  great 
ocean.  There  behold  the  wisdom  and  the  wonder- 
ful works  of  Almighty  God.  Passengers  young  and 
old  came  on  deck  to  get  the  fresh  air,  and  to  dry 
their  clothing  and  bedding,  all  in  high  spirits.    With 


J0URNA1  OF  THE  VOYAGE.  85 

respect  to  the  fare  on  board  the  Tsla  de  Cuba,  we 
had  at  all  three  meals,  the  best  beef  and  pork,  fatted 
fowls,  desserts,  cheese,  butter,  pickles,  hard  biscuits, 
fresh  baker's  bread,  and  hot  rolls,  with  other  good 
and  palatable  food.  There  was  no  respect  of  per- 
sons, the  captain  and  his  mate  treating  all  persons 
according  to  their  behaviour  without  regard  to  wealth 
or  station.  Captain  Miller  is  a  noble  officer,  and  so 
is  his  mate,  Mr.  Hatch.  The  cabin  passengers  are 
Mrs.  Gibbons,  from  Camden,  N.  J.,  Mr.  Caldwell,  of 
New-York,  Mr.  Augustus  "Washington,  wife,  and  two 
small  children,  from  Hartford,  Mr.  Truman,  from 
Western  Pennsylvania,  and  myself.  Rev.  Mr.  Wil- 
liams, with  his  wife,  family,  and  his  company  of  30 
or  40,  occupied  the  steerage,  and  performed  their 
religious  duties  in  the  most  orderly  manner.  Six 
o'clock  P.  M.,  fair  wind  and  all  well. 

23d.  A  very  fine  day ;  clear  and  calm ;  wind  at 
South-East,  not  fair ;  but,  thank  the  Lord,  we  are 
all  tolerably  well  at  this  time. 

24th.  We  have  been  at  sea  16  days.  Fine  wea- 
ther. Thank  the  Lord,  we  are  all  well.  A  flying- 
fish  was  found  on  board  this  morning.  The  Captain 
requested  that  good  order  should  be  preserved  in 
the  cabin,  that  the  men  might  get  their  regular 
rest ;  for  there  were  some  that  wanted  to  play  the 
8 


86  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

fiddle,  with  other  vain  amusements.  I  am  very  glad 
that  the  captain  spoke  against  such  proceedings. 
There  were  two  fiddles.  Augustus  Washington 
from  Hartford  had  one,  and  a  man  named  Kelly, 
from  the  West,  had  the  other.  It  was  not  well  to 
take  them  on  board. 

25th.  A  fair  wind  and  very  stormy.  Many  were 
sea- sick.  We  saw  a  ship  ahead  early  this  morning. 
Some  of  our  forward  rigging  was  carried  away  during 
the  night.     Very  rough. 

26th.  Stormy  and  rough.  Thank  the  Lord  we 
are  all  well.  It  is  very  singular  that  among  all  our 
passengers  there  are  not  more  than  four  or  five  dark 
persons. 

27th.  Sabbath.  The  blessed  Lord  has  thus  far 
preserved  us  all  in  safety,  and  I  pray  that  he  will 
keep  us  all  forever.  The  colored  people  in  general 
seek  too  much  after  the  world  for  their  own  good. 
If  they  had  as  much  zeal  for  the  Gospel  as  they 
have  for  the  world,  they  would  become  a  great  people 
in  Africa,  but  if  they  carry  vice  and  a  love  of  trifling 
amusements  with  them,  it  will  be  a  curse  both  to 
themselves  and  the  natives.  I  trust  that  all  will 
take  heed  to  these  things,  for  I  saw  the  evil  effect  of 
such  folly  on  board  the  ship,  as  well  as  in  that  coun- 
try.   We  held  meeting  to-day  in  the  cabin,  with  the 


JOURNAL  OF  THE  VOYAGE.         87 

full  consent  of  Capt.  Miller.  Kev.  Samuel  Williams 
preached,  and  I  closed  with  a  few  remarks.  A  brisk, 
fair  wind  all  day:  6  o'clock,  P.  M.  I  thank  the 
Lord  we  are  well.     John,  chap,  iii.,  v.  2. 

28th.  We  have  been  20  days  at  sea.  The  stew- 
ard has  fully  recovered  his  health.  The  captain 
paid  great  attention  to  him;  and  had  him  bled.  Thank 
the  Lord  we  are  now  all  well.  We  are  more  than 
two  thousand  miles  from  New- York,  getting  on  very 
well.  We  are  more  than  half  way  to  Africa.  The 
Lord  has  helped  us.  This  is  a  fine  morning,  and 
the  wind  is  fair.  We  have  seen  two  rainbows  at 
sea.  We  saw  a  school  of  porpoises  this  afternoon. 
I  said  that  we  might  look  out  for  a  squall.  In  48 
hours  it  came,  and  lasted  two  hours.  Then  all  was 
calm  again.     Thank  the  Lord. 

29th.  Fair  wind.  We  saw  a  ship  under  way. 
Thank  the  Lord  we  are  all  well. 

30th.  All  well,  the  Lord  be  praised  forever.  Since 
seven,  A.  M.,  the  wind  has  been  fresh  through  the 
day  and  evening. 

December  1st.  The  wind  is  very  high,  but  it  is 
fair.  A  fine  day.  The  sea  is  rough.  Mr.  Augustus 
Washington,  from  Hartford,  broke  his  looking-glass 
in  his  state-room  last  nio-ht. 

2d.  We  are  24  days  at  sea.     Fine  weather  and 


88  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

wind  fair.  Thank  the  Lord,  we  are  all  very  well  at 
this  time,  and  going  forward  at  a  good  rate.  We 
have  been  much  favored  on  this  voyage.  We  saw 
the  new  moon  at  sea,  this  evening,  for  the  first  time. 
It  appeared  to  be  about  three  nights  old,  and  it 
showed  three  moons  distinctly,  as  though  you  looked 
through  a  silk  handkerchief.     We  rejoiced  to  see  it. 

3d.  Fine  weather  and  fair  wind.  We  saw  a  ship 
in  the  forenoon.  I  thank  the  Lord,  we  are  all  wrell 
at  this  time. 

4th.  Sabbath.  Fine  weather  and  a  fair  wind.  I 
preached  on  board  at  2  o'clock  P.  M.,  on  the  after- 
deck,  the  captain,  cuew,  and  all  the  officers  present. 
I  spoke  from  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  chap, 
xi.,  v.  24.  "  By  faith,  Moses,  when  he  was  come  to 
years,  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's 
daughter."  We  had  a  good  time  ;  all  was  peace 
and  unity,  and  everything  was  done  in  order  like  a 
family  singing  and  praising  the  Lord  all  through 
the  Sabbath. 

5th.  Fair  wind,  but  light.  Fine  summer  weather. 
Thank  the  Lord  we  are  all  well  and  peaceable. 

6th.  Fine  weather,  all  well.  Very  light  wind  and 
slow  sailing.  It  was  reported  that  the  land  was  seen 
this  afternoon,  the  Cape  de  Verd  Islands. 

7th.  We  are  29  days  out.    Fine  weather  and  fair 


JOURNAL    OF    THE    VOYAGE.  89 

wind,  but  very  light.  I  thank  the  Lord  we  are  all 
well.  The  mate  was  very  angry  with  one  of  the 
crew  this  evening. 

8th.  Fine  weather  and  fair  wind.  We  are  within 
a  few  days'  sail  of  the  coast  of  Africa. 

9th.  Fine  weather.     The  wind  is  fair,  but  light. 

10th.  Fair  wind,  but  light.  We  are  getting  along 
very  well,  We  are  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  The  sea 
is  very  calm. 

11th.  Sabbath.  Very  warm  weather.  The  sea 
is  perfectly  calm.  Porpoises  and  other  fish  are  play- 
ing around  us  and  showing  themselves  like  the  flocks 
and  herds  of  the  field,  or  the  cattle  upon  a  thousand 
hills,  as  though  they  knew  this  day  was  the  Sabbath. 
We  saw  a  very  beautiful  fish  indeed.  I  never  saw 
anything  greener  in  my  life.  Its  fins  and  tail  ap- 
peared to  be  tipped  with  gold.  The  whole  ship's 
company  ran  to  see  it.  It  continued  with  the  ship 
some  time,  and  then  vanished  from  our  sight.  As 
we  arrive  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  more  than  a  thou- 
sand miles  from  Liberia,  the  sea  is  as  smooth  and 
calm  as  the  Delaware  or  the  Hudson  River,  very 
suitable  for  steamboats  and  light  craft  of  every 
description.  We  had  preaching  this  afternoon. 
Rev.  Samuel  Williams  spoke  from  John  We  had 
8* 


90  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

a  prayer-meeting  in  the  evening,  singing  altogether 
on  deck.     It  was  a  good  time. 

12th.  At  four  in  the  morning,  we  were  visited  by 
a  violent  storm,  and  the  ship  was  in  great  danger. 
Both  captain  and  mate  were  on  the  look-out.  The 
ship  was  under  full  sail  when  the  gale  came  suddenly 
upon  her.  All  hands  were  called,  steward,  cooks,  and 
all,  and  it  was  as  much  as  they  could  do  to  stow  the 
light  sails  and  get  the  top-sails  under  reef  before  the 
worst  came.  Some  of  the  sails  were  torn  from  the 
yards  and  carried  away,  the  captain,  mate,  and  crew 
doing  all  they  could  to  save  the  ship.  Knowing 
that  the  Lord  possesses  all  power,  and  that  we  are 
in  his  hand,  we  made  it  a  matter  of  prayer,  and 
implored  the  Divine  Throne  of  Grace  that  He  would 
save  us  from  the  stormy  winds  and  raging  seas,  and 
from  all  other  dangers,  and  save  us  forever  both  in 
time  and  in  eternity.  This  storm  was  attended  with 
thunder  and  lightning,  and  many  of  the  passengers 
were  much  alarmed.  I  thank  the  Lord  I  was  per- 
fectly calm  and  without  fear.  The  Lord  is  all  in  all. 
The  storm  continued  till  noon.  The  wind  changed, 
and  we  had  it  fair  all  the  afternoon.  A  little  bird 
came  on  board  and  alighted  on  the  rigging.  They 
caught  it.  Thank  the  Lord  we  are  all  here,  and  are 
doing  well. 


JOURNAL    OF   THE   VOYAGE.  91 

13th.  We  are  35  days  at  sea.  It  is  a  fine  morn- 
ing and  very  warm  and  calm.  We  let  the  little  bird 
go  at  liberty  this  morning.  We  saw  some  sharks, 
jind  also  a  sea-turtle.  We  lowered  a  boat  and  went 
after  the  turtle,  but  could  not  find  it.  Afterwards 
we  saw  a  shark.  The  captain  harpooned  him  in  the 
head,  and  we  took  him  on  board.  He  was  skinned 
and  dressed,  and  we  had  him  for  dinner.  He  made 
dry  meat. 

14th.  Fine  weather.  A  perfect  calm  and  very 
warm.  We  are  near  Liberia,  but  we  have  no  wind. 
We  threw  the  lead,  and  found  that  we  had  sixty 
fathoms  water.  We  caught  two  or  three  small  fish  ; 
But  they  were  of  a  kind  that  I  never  saw  before. 
The  little  bird  that  we  caught  and  set  at  liberty, 
continues  with  the  ship.  It  has  come  on  board  and 
died.  Before  it  died,  a  drab-colored  bird  came  and 
sat  on  the  rigging;,  and  after  awhile  it  went  away. 
Mr.  Augustus  Washington  kept  the  little  one  in  his 
basket  at  night,  and  let  it  out  in  the  morning. 

15  th.  The  weather  is  very  warm.  A  perfect  calm 
in  the  African  sea.  This  morning  an  accident  hap- 
pened :  Mr.  Hatch  fell  from  the  quarter  deck,  a  dis- 
tance of  nearly  fourteen  feet.  He  was  very  much 
hurt.  It  aroused  all  the  passengers.  The  second 
mate  thought  that  his  leg  was  broken  ;  but  the  Cap- 


92  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

tain  found  upon  examination  that  such  was  not  the 
case.  He  was  taken  into  the  Captain's  apartment 
and  made  as  comfortable  as  possible.  He  was  bled, 
rubbed,  &c. 

16  th.  Very  warm  and  calm.  Scarcely  any  wind. 
Thank  the  Lord,  the  mate  is  much  better.  We  saw 
another  sea-turtle.  The  Captain  went  after  it  in  a 
boat,  but  it  sank  beneath  the  water  on  his  approach. 
The  Captain  went  a  third  time  to  take  a  turtle,  but 
it  escaped  him.  One  day's  fair  wind  would  bring 
us  to  land.  We  caught  some  small  fish  that  they 
call  the  sea  eel. 

17  th.  We  are  thirty-nine  days  out.  Very  warm 
and  calm.  We  are  in  sight  of  land  at  this  time. 
We  called  a  public  meeting  this  afternoon  to  return 
thanks  to  the  Captain  and  Crew  for  their  kind  treat- 
ment of  us  during  the  passage,  and  also  to  express 
our  gratitude  towards  our  friends  in  America.  We 
had  a  good  time  together,  the  Captain  being  present. 

18th.  Sabbath.  We  arrived  off  Cape  Mount, 
forty  miles  from  Liberia.  A  beautiful  scene  indeed, 
A  small  boat  came  off  to  the  ship  from  the  shore 
containing  two  natives  who  were  perfectly  naked. 
We  spoke  with  them  as  they  came  alongside.  One 
of  them  spoke  the  French  language.  Both  of  them 
were  fine-looking  men.     They  were  the  first  human 


ARRIVAL    AT    MONROVIA.  93 

beings  that  we  had  seen  or  spoken  with,  except  those 
on  board,  for  the  space  of  forty  days.  Cape  Mount 
stands  right  on  the  sea-board,  is  covered  with  trees 
and  abounding  with  fruit,  grass,  and  other  vegeta- 
tion. Belno  is  a  beautiful  sandy  beach.  It  was  a 
lovely  Sabbath  morning  indeed,  and  long  to  be  re- 
membered. The  chief  mate,  Mr.  Hatch,  who  has 
been  unwell,  came  to  the  breakfast  table  this  morning 
for  the  first  time.  A  boat  load  of  natives  came  off 
to  us.  They  were  all  naked,  but  quite  a  sensible 
people.  I  thank  the  Lord  that  we  came  to  an 
anchor  at  half  past  nine  o'clock  P.  M.  after  forty 
days  passage,  all  safe  and  sound.  Mr.  Caldwell 
went  on  shore  the  same  evening. 

19th.  On  board  of  the  Isla  de  Cuba,  Capt,  Miller, 
mates  Messrs.  Hatch  and  Magill,  now  lying  in  the 
harbor  of  Monrovia,  Liberia,  Africa.  I  thank  the 
Lord  that  we  are  all  well.  This  morning  I  intend 
going  on  shore  early  in  the  day. 


94  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Ihe  Author  goes  on  shore.  Kind  reception.  Visits  the  Presi- 
dent, Judge,  and  other  distinguished  persons.  Beauty  of  the 
country.  Description  of  the  town,  the  soil,  and  the  inhabit- 
ants. Good  opportunities  in  Liberia  for  emigrants.  Me- 
chanics, farmers  and  schoolmasters  wanted  in  Liberia.  Those 
who  lay  the  foundations  of  this  great  nation  should  be  moral, 
industrious,  economical,  and  religious  persons.  With  the  aid 
of  friends  in  the  United  States,  the  cause  of  colored  emigration 
to  Liberia  cannot  fail  to  prosper. 

During  the  morning  we  went  on  shore  at  the 
port,  and  were  received  with  much  joy,  and  in  a  very 
friendly  manner,  by  all  the  people. 

I  called  upon  his  excellency  the  President,  both 
at  his  office  and  at  his  dwelling.  I  found  him  very 
competent  and  much  of  a  gentleman.  He  has  a 
good  library.  I  was  offered  a  home  at  many  respec- 
table houses,  but  I  preferred  a  more  private  residence, 
as  I  had  much  writing  to  do.  I  put  up  at  the  house 
of  Rev.  Henry  Teague,  an  aid  to  the  President.  He 
has  a  very  fine  family.    I  called  upon  the  Judge  and 


MONROVIA.  95 

Dr.  Robeits;  also  upon  Mr.  James  Magill,  and  a 
number  of  merchants  and  others. 

The  President's  lady  is  a  very  fine  looking  woman, 
and  so  is  Mrs.  Dr.  Roberts.  There  is  no  better 
society  to  be  found  in  any  part  of  the  world.  I  am 
very  much  pleased  with  it,  and  with  the  appearance 
of  things  here.  The  President  and  his  lady  are 
strict  members  of  the  Church. 

The  whole  view  from  this  spot  is  beautiful ;  and 
upon  summing  up,  and  taking  into  consideration  the 
country,  sea-board,  rivers,  mountains,  vales  and 
plains,  I  must  say  that  I  never  saw  a  more  attractive 
place.  Monrovia  is  perfectly  healthy,  and  contains, 
at  this  time,  three  large  stone  Churches,  an  Academy, 
and  High  School,  and  all  other  conveniences  required 
by  a  large  town.     There  are  four  ministers. 

The  people  all  look  well,  and  have  fine  cattle,  pigs, 
and  goats.  In  fact,  this  place  looks  more  like  the 
Garden  of  Eden,  than  any  place  that  I  have  ever 
seen  or  read  about. 

There  are  a  number  of  vessels  in  the  harbor,  Ame- 
rican, English  and  Spanish,  both  war  vessels  and 
merchantmen,  with  captains  and  officers  of  all  kinds. 
I  am  now  writing  in  a  very  pleasant  room  with  six 
windows,  airy,  cool,  and  well  carpeted,  with  a  hand- 
some mirror,  and  other  furniture  of  the  best  des- 


96  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

cription.     The  people  are  all  very  kind  and  respect 
able. 

Tlie  port  is  on  elevated  ground,  commanding  a 
full  view  of  the  sea,  the  three  rivers,  Montserrado, 
Junk,  and  St.  Paul's. 

I  am  very  sorry  to  say  that  many  false  things 
have  been  said  about  this  place,  and  the  people  who 
inhabit  it :  and  even  in  the  colored  Churches  of  the 
United  States,  currency  has  been  given  to  slanderous 
falsehoods  of  the  most  glaring  description.  Thus 
they  talk  of  things  about  which  they  know  nothing, 
instead  of  preaching  the  pure  Gospel  of  Christ.  I 
can  assure  the  reader,  that  the  people  in  Liberia  look 
as  respectable  as  the  best  of  the  colored  people  in 
the  United  States,  while  they  enjoy  five  times  as 
much  liberty,  as  ladies  and  gentlemen  in  the  posses- 
sion of  all  the  comforts  of  life,  and  this  in  a  nation 
of  their  own. 

The  Legislative  body  is  now  in  session.  Respec- 
table citizens  from  every  county  are  doing  the  bu- 
siness of  Government ;  and  it  is  delightful  to  behold. 
Ladies  and  gentlemen  from  the  United  States  men- 
of-war  came  to  see  those  colored  men  making  laws 
for  their  young  republic,  and  it  is  truly  wonderful  to 
see  how  well  they  get  on. 

There  are  several  wealthy  merchants  here.  Messrs. 


RESOURCES  OF  THE  COUNTRY.        97 

Payne  and  Yeats,  J.  B.  and  Uriah  Magill,  D.  B. 
"Warren,  and  Mr.  A.  Johns,  J.  M.  Bobcrts,  and  Mr. 
Boy. 

If  a  number  of  our  enterprising  citizens  of  the 
United  States  were  to  turn  their  attention  to  this 
country  for  a  few  years,  with  their  modern  arts  and 
sciences,  and  means,  they  would  make  a  fortune  in 
a  few  years  from  minerals  and  the  natural  produc- 
tions of  the  earth.  Not  only  that,  but  they  would, 
also,  so  improve  the  country  that  it  would  be  the 
beauty  and  desire  of  the  whole  world.  We  want 
silversmiths  and  mechanics  of  all  kinds.  They  would 
find  a  great  deal  to  do  here.  The  people  of  the 
Eastern  and  Western  States  are  known  to  be  a  peace- 
ful and  thriving  people,  of  great  enterprise  and  in- 
telligence. Those  are  the  people  that  we  want  here 
to  light  up  this  great  quarter  of  the  world  with  reli- 
gion, the  arts  and  sciences.  Agriculture  would  also 
thrive  well  here,  and  is  much  needed.  The  water, 
both  in  the  wells  and  springs,  is  good.  It  is  very 
pure  and  sweet.  I  find  the  weather  no  warmer  here 
than  in  the  United  States  during  the  summer. 

Money  seems  to  be  plenty,  but  provisions  are 
scarce.  We  want  more  men  on  the  land,  so  that 
the  earth  may  bring  forth  of  its  abundance. 

Judge  Benedick,  who  is  a  very  worthy  man,  is 
<  9 


98  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

quite  wealthy,  and  has  a  beautiful  coffee  plantation, 
with  numerous  flocks  and  herds.  There  is  here 
room  for  plenty  of  blacksmiths,  shoemakers,  tailors, 
carpenters,  cabinet-makers  and  bakers,  who  could 
make  a  noble  living  in  this  country.  A  butcher 
would  do  well,  as  he  could  get  his  cattle  of  the  na- 
tives extremely  low,  and  supply  the  shipping.  That 
business  would  pay  well. 

A  man  came  out  from  Indiana,  in  the  last  ship,  to 
get  land  for  the  free  colored  people  of  that  State. 
He  is  a  minister,  Rev.  Mr.  McKay.  He  preached 
on  Sabbath  morning,  Christmas  day.  A  great  many 
are  coming  out  at  this  time,  and  the  most  of  them 
are  well  pleased  with  the  country.  The  most  of 
those  who  came  out  some  three  or  four  years  since 
have  become  wealthy.  Among  these  is  Rev.  Dr. 
John  Moore,  from  Baltimore,  a  worthy  man,  who  is 
not  only  useful  in  the  Church,  but  also  as  a  physician. 
He  has  two  stores,  and  is  also  a  farmer.  A  man 
named  Murray,  who  came  here  a  short  time  since 
with  $16,  is  now  worth  $1,600.  He  trades  with  the 
natives. 

Two  men  went  from  Charleston,  S.  C,  with  the 
intention  of  going  to  Liberia,  but  the  people  of  the 
Northern  States  advised  them  not  to  go.  That  was 
a  great  error.    If  Mr.  Payne  and  Mr.  Catto  had  gone 


LIBERIA.  99 

forth  according  to  their  covenant,  they  would  have 
been  doubly  useful  in  the  Church,  and  would,  by 
this  time,  have  been  men  of  wealth  and  eminence. 
But  they  are  just  as  they  were,  and  no  better,  like 
many  others  who  would  rather  remain  half  free  and 
half  slave,  in  a  country  that  they  cannot  travel  with- 
out being  stopped  and  examined  as  though  they 
were  thieves  and  robbers. 

I  have  visited  Liberia  without  fee  or  reward,  or 
any  salary,  or  any  promise  of  remuneration,  trusting 
only  in  the  promises  of  my  blessed  Lord,  for  the 
benefit  of  my  beloved  and  afflicted  brethren,  and  the 
promotion  of  the  Gospel.  I  thank  the  Lord  that  I 
was  obedient  unto  the  heavenly  calling,  for  it  is  of 
great  value  to  me,  and  a  blessing  to  my  fellow-men. 
I  have  seen  the  wonderful  works  of  the  Lord  both 
by  land  and  sea,  and  I  can  say  of  a  truth  unto  all 
mankind,  serve  the  Lord,  and  it  will  go  well  with 
you  forever.  If  half  the  time  and  money  that  has 
been  spent  to  oppose  this  noble  enterprise,  had  been 
expended  to  favor  and  to  aid  it,  one  half  of  Africa 
might  have  been  civilized  by  this  time,  the  Gospel 
preached  in  the  midst  thereof,  and  missions  and 
Sabbath-schools  dotting  its  hills  and  valleys.  The 
great  amount  of  time  spent  in  contention  on  the 
floor  of  Congress  and  elsewhere,  in  relation  to  this 


100  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

subject,  is  a  clear  loss.  There  is  no  other  way  than 
this  by  which  the  colored  people  can  obtain  their 
deljverance  and  return  to  their  own  land — no  other 
way  by  which  they  can  arrive  at  self-government. 

Since  I  have  visited  Africa,  I  can  say  of  a  truth 
that  that  noble  institution  is  the  most  important  and 
beneficial  philanthropic  movement  in  the  United 
States  of  America.  It  has  done,  and  is  still  doing, 
more  for  the  benefit  of  the  colored  people  than  any- 
thing else  which  has  been  attempted  for  that  object. 

It  does  not  appear  to  me  to  be  anything  like  wis- 
dom for  men  to  condemn  matters  they  know  nothing 
about.  Let  thern  first  see  and  examine,  and  they 
may  then  be  able  to  judge  in  part ;  but  the  judgment 
of  ignorant  men  is  worse  than  nothing.  But  it  is 
too  late  now  to  oppose  this  good  and  noble  work. 
It  is  going  forward.  I  believe  that  the  Lord  is  in  it, 
and  it  will  go  on,  and  I  trust  that  the  blessed  Son 
will  prosper  it  in  all  cases.  Monrovia  stands  upon 
a  hill — upon  rocks,  and  a  vast  bed  of  iron  ore. 

There  is  another  thing  which  would  be  of  great 
benefit  to  this  settlement.  Let  men  of  science,  both 
white  and  colored,  go  out  to  Liberia  to  instruct  the 
youths  of  both  sexes— to  make  them  acquainted  with 
all  useful  knowledge,  which  has  been  denied  to  us 
in  by-gone  days,  by  reason  of  prejudice  and  slavery. 


WANT  OF  FARMERS  AND  MECHANICS.  101 

But,  thanks  be  to  the  Lord,  these  evils  exist  not  in 
this  country. 

We  want  no  drunkards  in  our  land,  nor  fiddlers, 
nor  dancers,  nor  gamblers,  nor  idlers  of  any  kind. 
But  we  want  good  men  and  good  women  ;  upright, 
honest,  sober,  industrious,  moral  and  religious  per- 
sons, economical  in  their  habits  and  setting  good 
examples  to  those  who  come  after.  These  are  the 
kind  of  people  that  we  want  for  laying  the  founda- 
tion of  a  great  nation,  like  unto  that  which  is  now 
about  to  be  laid  in  Western  Africa.  By  the  blessing 
of  the  Lord,  and  the  aid  of  our  good  friends  in  the 
United  States  of  America,  we  bid  fair  to  become  one 
of  the  greatest  nations  upon  the  earth. 

I  say  that  we  want  farmers,  which  are  the  bone 
and  sinew  of  a  country,  and  mark  out  the  only  path 
which  leads  to  prosperity,  wealth  and  plenty.  The 
earth  is  pregnant  with  all  kinds  of  mineral  and  vege- 
table productions.  All  we  need  is  the  ways  and 
means,  and  proper  instruction,  to  enable  us  to  come 
at  them.  We  are  looking  to  our  good  friends  in 
America  to  aid  and  assist  us  in  all  those  important 
enterprises.     If  they  aid  us,  we  shall  do  well. 


9* 


102  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Author  visits  several  places  in  the  vicinity  of  Monrovia. 
He  speaks  a  number  of  times  in  the  Churches.  He  sails  for 
Sierra  Leone.  On  the  passage  Mr.  Caldwell  is  very  sick,  and 
the  Steward  tries  to  get  possession  of  his  property.  The  Au- 
thor opposes  this  nefarious  attempt.  They  arrive  in  Sierra 
Leone.  The  Author  finishes  his  business  and  sails  for  Gambia. 
Arrival  in  Gambia.  Mahometans  ;  Idolators ;  treatment  of 
criminals  under  the  British  rule.  The  Author  prefers  the' 
United  States  Government.  He  sails  in  the  Isla  de  Cuba  for 
the  United  States.  Storms  at  sea.  The  Author  trusts  in  the 
Lord.  Two  men  concealed  on  board.  The  Gulf  Stream. 
Arrival  at  New- York. 

On  Thursday  evening,  Dec.  22,  1853,  I  preached 
in  Monrovia,  from  the  133d  Psalm,  "Behold,  how 
good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell 
together  in  unity."  The  meeting  was  well  attended. 
The  President  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church  ; 
and  all  the  distinguished  men  are  members  of  some 
Church.  I  have  an  appointment  again  on  Sabbath 
evening,  the  Lord  be  pleased. 


HEROISM    OF    A   WOMAN.  103 

Liberia  would  never  have  been  the  home  of  the 
immigrants,  had  it  not  been  for  a  woman.  When 
the  first  settlers  were  preparing  themselves  resting- 
places,  the  natives  came  upon  them  with  hostile 
intent.  One  woman  only  remained  in  her  house, 
the  other  inhabitants  having  fled.  She  fired  upon 
the  natives  until  she  had  succeeded  in  killing  quite 
a  number  of  them.  The  survivors  fled.  The  name 
of  the  woman  was  Mrs.  Newport ;  and  she  secured 
a  new  port  for  the  colored  people.  The  natives  never 
returned. 

On  Sabbath,  Christmas-day,  a  man  from  Indiana 
spoke  in  the  Church,  from  Isaiah,  53d  chapter.  I 
spoke  in  the  afternoon  to  a  very  full  house.  All  the 
first  families  were  present,  the  President  and  his 
family,  the  Vice-President,  Secretaries,  Merchants, 
(fee.     I  spoke  from  Matt.,  chap,  ii.,  v.  1 0. 

On  Thursday,  29th,  I  spoke  at  Millsburg.  I  went 
from  Monrovia  with  a  number  of  men  to  examine 
the  land.  We  went  up  St.  Paul's  river.  We  trav- 
elled through  the  woods,  thickets,  and  brambles. 
We  spent  the  most  of  the  day  in  this  great  wood. 
We  did  not  see  so  much  as  a  frog  or  any  other  ani- 
mal. In  the  evening,  we  returned  to  Caleb. ell,  and 
spent  a  very  agreeable  evening  with  Mv.  Richardson. 
We  finished  our  business,  and  or.   Saturday  came 


104  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

back  to  Monrovia.  I  stopped  with  Squire  Moore,  aa 
Mrs.  Teague  was  sick  and  her  house  shut  up. 

Rev.  Mr.  McKay  spoke  on  Sabbath  afternoon,  and 
I  spoke  in  the  evening.  Rev.  Mr.  Burns  spoke  in 
the  morning. 

On  January  2d,  1854,  President  Roberts  and 
Vice-President  Benson  were  both  installed  in  office. 
The  utmost  decorum  was  observed.  The  hall  was 
crowded  ;  all  the  first  people  of  the  place  were  pre- 
sent, officers  of  the  Navy,  ladies,  &c. 

On  the  6th,  Mr.  Caldwell  and  myself  took  a  walk 
to  the  Government  Farm,  a  very  thriving  spot,  and 
extremely  pleasant. 

I  closed  the  meeting  on  Sabbath  forenoon,  and 
spent  the  day  very  agreeably  with  brethren  and 
sisters.  But  I  do  not  say  that  everybody  is  good  in 
Liberia,  for  there  are  some  disorderly  persons  here 
as  well  as  in  other  countries. 

President  Roberts  and  family  attend  meeting 
every  Sabbath,  and  sit  directly  in  front  of  the  altar. 
Both  himself  and  lady  are  very  mild  and  pleasant 
people,  hospitable  and  attentive  to  strangers. 

On  Friday,  10th  January,  we  all  dined  with  Judge 
Benson,  now  Vice-President.  On  the  13th,  all  the 
ministers  went  to  Conference,  down  to  Sino,  and  the 
Senators  all  werA  home.     On  the  14th,  we  had  a 


.   d  ^  .l,j 


DEPARTURE    E0R    SIERRA  LEONE.  107 

severe  thunderstorm,  and  another  on  the  16th  of 
the  month.  On  Sabbath,  I  spoke  at  the  Baptist 
Church  at  3  P.  M.  There  was  a  full  house,  and  we 
had  a  very  good  time.  I  closed  meeting  in  the 
evening,  at  the  Mission  M.  E.  Church. 

David  Moore,  Esq.,  at  whose  house  I  put  up,  is  a 
judge,  and  stands  high  in  the  community.  He  is 
also  quite  wealthy.  He  owns  much  land,  which  is 
well  cultivated,  also  flocks  and  h^rds,  such  as  cattle, 
sheep,  goats,  and  hogs.  They  come  every  evening 
and  lie  down  before  his  door  in  a  grove  of  orange 
and  coffee  trees,  which  are  breaking  down  under 
their  burden  of  ripe  fruit.  This  man  was  once  a 
slave,  but  is  now  a  government  officer  in  this  young 
and  growing  Republic.  Mr.  Moore  is  a  tanner,  a 
shoemaker,  a  soap-maker,  a  farmer,  and  a  justice  of 
the  peace.     He  is  quite  dark  in  his  complexion. 

On  the  18th  of  January,  I  went  on  board  the 
English  steamer  Hope,  from  Plymouth,  bound  to 
Sierra  Leone.  She  is  a  mail  boat.  The  company 
have  four  boats  on  the  line.  One  is  called  Faith, 
another  Hope,  and  another  Charity.  When  I  first 
went  on  board,  I  did  not  know  that  the  time  of  sail- 
ing would  be  delayed  till  nine  o'clock  at  night.  After 
enjoying  a  good  supper,  with  the  company  and  a 
number  of  passengers,  all  very  respectable  persons, 


108  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

we  set  sail  for  Sierra  Leona.  It  is  about  240  miles 
from  Monrovia.  From  Sierra  Leone  to  Gambia  is 
about  412  miles. 

We  bad  a  very  pleasant  passage.  Tbe  sea  was 
as  smooth  as  tbe  Hudson  River.  Tbe  fare  on  board 
was  excellent.  I  never  found  a  better  table  on  board 
of  any  boat ;  all  fared  alike,  without  distinction. 
During  the  passage  Mr.  Caldwell  was  very  sick,  and 
Dr.  Paterson  placed  him  under  the  charge  of  the 
steward  of  the  forward  cabin.  A  spoonful  of  brandy 
was  ordered  to  be  given  him  every  quarter  of  an 
hour,  which  was  done  for  twenty-four  hours  or  more, 
so  that  the  poor  man  was  permitted  to  rest  in  quiet 
but  a  little  while  at  a  time ;  I  spoke  against  such 
proceedings,  and  they  were  very  angry  with  me,  and 
said  that  I  had  no  business  to  interfere,  as  the  doctor 
gave  the  patient  up  to  the  steward's  charge.  The 
steward's  aim  was  to  get  the  man's  effects  into  his 
possession.  He  had  a  good  watch  and  clothing; 
and  therefore,  the  steward  made  the  sick  man  believe 
that  he  was  his  best  friend.  He  would  not  leave 
him  for  a  moment ;  he  hugged  him  and  kissed  him, 
and  declared  that  although  he  was  a  white  man  and 
Mr.  Caldwell  was  a  colored  man,  yet  he  would  never 
leave  him  or  forsake  him.  He  drew  up  writings  for 
Mr.  Caldwell  to  sign,  in  which  all  the  effects  of  the 


ARRIVES   AT    GAMBIA.  109 

patient  were  made  over  him.  He  urged  Mr.  Cald- 
well to  sign  these  writings,  while  in  his  weak  and 
dying  state. 

I  opposed  all  this  strongly,  but  I  had  no  power, 
for  it  was  a  British  vessel  and  British  officers,  bound 
to  one  of  their  own  ports.  As  I  was  only  one,  and 
they  were  many,  I  left  the  whole  matter  in  the 
hands  of  the  blessed  Lord.  He  pleaded  my  cause, 
and  fought  my  battles,  and  overthrew  all  their  wick- 
ed designs.  He  kept  the  man  alive  until  we  got 
into  port. 

While  we  were  at  sea,  I  told  them  that  if  they 
took  any  improper  steps,  I  would  report  them  to  the 
American  Consul.  They  did  not  care  much  for 
that ;  but  the  blessed  Lord  is  high  over  all,  and 
blessed  for  evermore.  Therefore,  I  recommend  to 
all  mankind  that  they  serve  Him  in  spirit  and  in 
truth. 

After  I  had  settled  my  affairs  in  Sierra  Leone,  I 
went  on  board  the  steamer  Hope,  bound  to  Gambia, 
on  the  coast  of  Africa.  We  had  a  pleasant  passage, 
no  distinction  was  made  in  the  treatment  of  passen- 
gers. 

When  we  arrived  at  Gambia,  I  visited  the  Churches,, 
schools,  markets,  and  public  buildings,  and  took  note 
10 


110  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

of  tho  manners  and  habits  of  the  people.  Many  of 
the  inhabitants  are  Mahometans.  Others  wore 
charms  about  their  persons  and  are  loaded  with 
idols.  They  may  be  seen  sitting  or  lying  in  the 
sand,  in  large  gangs,  worshipping  their  false  gods. 
They  wear  long  robes  and  sandals,  but  are  half 
naked.  There  are  more  than  a  hundred  tongues  or 
languages  among  them,  so  that  the  one  part  do  not 
•understand  the  rest. 

Criminals  are  put  in  prison,  and  formed  into  chain 
gangs.  These  are  chained  two  together,  and  on  the 
back  of  their  jackets  is  the  word  CONVICT.  They 
wear  red  caps.  They  are  made  to  work  in  the 
streets,  and  every  three  months  they  are  flogged  on 
the  back.  Such  is  the  rule  under  the  English  Gov 
ernment :  but  in  Liberia  there  is  no  such  barbarity 
practised. 

Jan'y.  31st.  The  United  States  ship-of-war  Con- 
stellation, Com.  Mayo,  arrived  at  this  port  and  fired 
a  salute,  which  was  answered  by  the  fort  at  Gambia. 

The  barque  Isla  de  Cuba,  now  lying  in  this  port, 
will  sail  in  a  few  days  for  New- York,  United  States. 
Capt.  Forsyth  is  going  passenger  in  the  Isla  de  Cuba, 
Capt.  Miller. 

I  remained  in  the  town  of  Gambia  nine  days,  and 
spent  three  days  on  board  the  ship. 


ENGLISH   FREEDOM.  Ill 


3d.  All  hands  on  board.  Mr.  Forsyth  and  lady 
came  on  board  at  12  o'clock.  On  the  evening  of 
Thursday,  Mr.  Forsyth  spent  the  time  very  agreeably 
with  some  of  his  friends  over  champaigne.  They 
then  bade  adieu  and  parted.  The  pilot  came  on 
board  at  half  past  three  on  Friday  morning.  His 
name  is  Pompey  Gay.  He  makes  about  £260  a 
year,  and  out  of  that  he  receives  £60  for  his  own 
use.  He  is  a  colored  man.  The  colored  people  do 
all  the  out-of-door  work  here,  but  the  sixty  pounds 
for  himself/  Such  is  the  boast  of  English  freedom. 
Give  me  the  Government  of  the  United  States  for- 
ever, in  preference  to  such  liberty.  Take  away 
slavery,  and  nothing  like  the  U.  S.  Government  was 
ever  known.  I  have  learned  that  by  travelling 
abroad,  and  making  use  of  my  eyes  and  ears. 

The  author  conceives  that,  at  this  rate,  those  who 
are  called  free  in  England  give  to  their  employers  a 
much  larger  portion  of  the  proceeds  of  their  toil, 
than  the  American  planter  receives  from  those  col- 
ored men  in  his  service  who  are  called  slaves.  And 
the  gains  of  this  colored  pilot  are  in  about  the  same 
ratio  as  those  of  other  "  free"  colored  men  who  are 
subjects  of  the  Crown. 

Feb.  4th.  At  sea.  All  well.  We  left  the  Capes 
on  the  forenoon  of  3d  inst.     In  a  short  time,  we 


112  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 

caught  a  favorable  breeze,  stiff  and  strong,  and  we 
made  good  headway. 

5th.  Sabbath.  We  have  been  at  sea  three  days. 
Fine  weather  and  fair  wind.     All  well. 

6th.  Thank  the  ,Lord  we  are  well.  The  wind  is 
fair,  with  occasional  calm. 

7th.  Thank  the  Lord  we  are  tolerable.  Good 
weather  ;  light  wind,  but  fair. 

8th.  Fine  weather  and  fair  wind.  Thank  the 
Lord,  we  are  all  tolerably  well. 

9th.  Fine  weather  and  fair  wind.-    All  well. 

10th.  All  well.     Fine  weather  and  fair  wind.  - 

11th.  Fair  wind  and  weather.  All  well  at  this 
time. 

12th.  Ten  days  out.  This  day  is  the  Sabbath. 
Fine  weather.     Thank  the  Lord,  we  are  all  well. 

13th.  Fine  weather;  all  well.  We  saw  a  ship 
to-day,  to  leeward.  The  seamen  are  all  busily 
engaged  in  cleaning  and  painting  the  ship.  Oapt. 
Miller  is  a  very  particular  man. 

14th.  All  well.     A  little  breeze. 

loth.  All  well.  Light  breeze.  In  the  afternoon 
a  good  breeze  sprung  up  and  we  got  on  finely. 

16th.  All  well.  We  had  a  fine  rain  shower  this 
morning.  In  the  afternoon  we  had  quite  a  gale ; 
but  we  are  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord.     He  is  our 


JOURNAL    OF   THE    VOYAGE    HOMEWARD.       113 


only  help  in  the  time  of  trouble.  When  we  left 
Gambia,  Africa,  there  were  two  Frenchmen  stowed 
away  in  the  hold  of  the  ship,  and  after  we  got  to 
sea,  they  came  up  and  showed  themselves  to  the 
captain.  When  the  captain  heard  their  story,  he 
put  them  in  charge  of  the  mate,  to  work  their  passage 
to  the  United  States. 

l*7th.  All  well.  A  fair  breeze.  We  are  getting 
on  very  well,  thank  the  Lord. 

18th.  Fine  weather  and  a  good  breeze.  The  mate 
found  a  live  scorpion  on  board.  They  killed  it. 
We  saw  several  whales  ;  they  were  quite  large  ones. 

19th.  Sabbath.  It  is  a  little  stormy,  but  we  are 
getting  on  veiy  well. 

20th.  Light,  fair  breeze  ;  getting  on  very  well. 

21st.  Fair  wind,  but  light;  getting  on  very  well. 
We  are  thankful  that  we  are  all  well. 

2 2d.  Fair  wind,  but  light.     All  well. 

23d.  Fair,  but  light  breeze. 

24th.  We  have  a  fair  wind  from  the  East,  with 
rain.  In  the  afternoon  it  blew  a  perfect  gale,  and 
rained  very  hard.  All  hands  were  called,  cook  and 
steward.  At  about  4  P.  M.  the  storm  ceased.  The 
clouds  broke  away,  and  the  sun  shone  again,  thanks 
be  to  the  Lord.  Before  the  gale  came  on,  we  were 
10* 


114  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

in  that  part  of  the  sea  where  the  winds  are  variable, 
between  the  coast  of  Africa  and  the  West  Indies. 
There  was  a  calm  for  some  days ;  the  wind  shifting 
all  around  the  compass  in  a  few  hours.  The. gale 
earned  us  swiftly  over  that  part  of  the  ocean ;  until 
we  caught  the  American  breeze,  which  is  sweet  and 
cool.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  grass  afloat  in  the 
sea  for  thousands  of  miles.  It  looks  pretty,  and  is 
called  the  gulf  weed.  It  grows  in  or  near  the  Gulf 
Stream.  We  see  many  birds  flying  on  this  coast,  of 
different  kinds. 

25th.  A  severe  gale  from  the  East  for  more  than 
24  hours.  We  are  thankful  that  the  wind  is  favor- 
able. We  have  seen  three  ships  since  we  left  Gam- 
bia. 

26th.  Sabbath.  We  are  24  days  out.  The  wind 
is  high  and  the  sea  rough.  We  are  near  the 
Bahama  Islands,  getting  on  very  well. 

27th.  We  have  a  good  fair  wind,  and  are  getting 
on  very  well.     We  are  near  the  Gulf  Stream. 

28th.  The  wind  is  high  and  not  fair.  The  sea  is 
rough,  and  the  weather  getting  cold.  We  saw 
one  schooner  to-day,  the  fourth  vessel  we  have  seen 
since  we  left  Gambia,  Africa. 

March  1st.  We  are  in  the  Gulf  Stream.    It  is 


JOURNAL  OF  THE  VOYAGE  HOMEWARD.   115 

quiet  and  calm.  We  saw  two  ships  to-day  going 
out.     This  evening,  we  saw  the  new  moon. 

2d.  We  are  getting  on  siowly.  Quite  calm.  Saw 
this  morning  a  fore-top-sail  schooner,  supposed  to 
be  bound  to  New- York.  She  kept  company  with 
us  all  day.  We  came  to  the  Gulf  in  the  night.  It 
was  veiy  rough  indeed. 

3d.  The  sea  is  very  rough.  Wind  high  :  we  are 
thankful  it  is  favorable.  We  have  shipped  several 
very  heavy  seas  this  morning.  It  is  said  that  we 
are  about  400  miles  from  New- York.  The  blessed 
Lord  has  ever  been,  and  still  is,  our  only  defence 
and  help  in  the  time  of  need  ;  therefore,  we  will 
do  the  best  we  can,  and  trust  Him  in  all  cases.  I 
thank  the  Lord,  we  have  got  through  the  Gulf.  This 
afternoon  it4is  four  weeks  since  we  left  Africa.  We 
are  now  on  the  coast  of  America. 

4th.  It  is  said  that  the  Gulf  Stream  is  70  miles 
in  width.  It  is  very  boisterous  and  rough  indeed. 
We  had  to  take  in  and  reef  sails.  We  crossed  near 
Norfolk,  Va.,  and  are  now  steering  up  the  coasts  of 
Maryland,  Delaware  and  Jersey.  The  wind  is  not 
fair.     A  steamer  going  South,  passed  us  last  evening. 

5th  Sabbath.  Very  windy,  stormy  and  cold. 
We  saw  the  Jersey  shore.     All  well. 


116  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

6th.  We  came  inside  the  Hook,  and  entered  the 
waters  of  New- York  with  the  wind  ahead.  Arrived 
at  the  Quarantine  ground  during  the  night. 

7th.  This  morning,  we  were  visited  by  the  Quar- 
antine officers,  and  after  that,  we  all  came  up  to  tho 
my  of  New- York.     Thus  ends  our  passage. 


CONVERSATION  WITH  A  BRITISH  OFFICER.       117 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Author  relates  part  of  a  conversation  with  an  English 
officer.  Some  description  of  Gambia  and  its  inhabitants. 
Necessity  of  cultivation.  The  minds  of  the  natives  must  be 
cultivated  as  well  as  the  land.  Fine  opportunities  in  Africa 
for  steamboats,  and  enterprising  men  generally.  Cape  Mount. 
No  newspaper  in  Liberia.  An  excellent  opening  for  Frede- 
rick Douglass.  Address  to  the  rulers  of  Liberia.  The  ne- 
cessity of  treating  the  natives  well  and  respecting  their  rights. 
Duties  of  parents  and  teachers.  The  young  should  be  in- 
structed. Mr.  Home  in  Monrovia.  Mrs.  Ann  Wilkins. 
Mr.  Phillips,  a  colored  teacher. 

In  the  last  chapter,  I  gave  an  account  of  my  pas- 
sage from  Gambia  to  New- York.  I  thought  myself 
fortunate  in  finding  the  barque  Isla  de  Cuba,  Capt. 
Miller,  at  Gambia,  and  also  in  securing  the  same 
state-room  aud  berth  that  I  had  occupied  in  the  out- 
ward passage. 

While  on  my  passage  in  the  British  Mail  Steamer 
Hope,  I  conversed  freely  with  one  of  the  chief  officers, 
who  informed  me  that  their  company  were  fitting 
out  a  strong  line  of  steamers  in  England,  for  the 


mm 


118  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 


coasts  of  Africa  and  America,  and  also  to  explore 
the  river  Niger.  They  intend  to  leave  no  stone  un- 
turned in  their  African  researches.  He  said  that 
Africa  would  be  the  land  of  a  great  nation.  He 
spoke  in  favor  of  Liberia.  I  told  him  that  her  Gov- 
ernment was  better  than  any  that  I  had  seen,  except 
that  of  the  United  States. 

The  town  of  Gambia  looks  well  as  you  approach 
it  in  front  from  the  sea,  but  the  most  of  the  people 
seem  to  be  wild  and  uncultivated.  The  greater  part 
are  the  blackest  persons  that  I  ever  saw.  Among 
them  are  some  Portuguese,  but  they  are  all  under 
the  English  Government.  But  all  are  free  in  the 
Republic  of  Liberia.  That  seems  to  be  the  most 
desirable  part  of  Africa.  It  was  very  cold  in  Gambia 
in  the  morning ;  I  walked  through  the  markets  and 
saw  the  people  lying  about  in  the  sand  like  pigs, 
half  naked,  both  heathen  and  Mahometans,  loaded 
down  with  charms  and  idols,  going  about  shaving 
each  other's  heads,  and  cutting  up  a  hundred  pranks 
which  you  never  saw  nor  heard  of.  We  see  many 
new  things  in  this  country,  but  the  power  of  the  Lord 
is  here  as  well  as  elsewhere. 

It  is  very  interesting,  and  also  very  solemnizing, 
to  visit  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  Gambia ; 
to  see  the  various  nations,  with  their  varied  manners, 


RELIGIOUS    INSTRUCTION.  119 

dress,  features,  and  complexion.  This  last  is  of 
every  shade,  from  the  white  to  the  most  intensely 
black.  Some  of  the  congregation  are  dressed  in  the 
most  fashionable  style  of  the  day — many  of  them 
with  turbans  as  high  as  a  sugar-loaf,  and  of  the  same 
form,  composed  of  handkerchiefs  of  different  colors ; 
while  the  greater  part  are  barefooted  and  half-naked. 
But  they  are  all  seeking  the  same  thing,  and  in  this 
they  understand  each  other.  They  seem  to  be  all 
in  unity ;  they  all  come  to  Church  to  hear  the  Gos- 
pel preached,  and  to  hear  of  the  wonderful  works  of 
the  Lord. 

I  visited  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church  in  Gam- 
bia, Rev.  Mr.  Meddows,  pastor.  He  preached  from 
the  33d  Psalm.  I  saw  a  great  many  natives  there, 
dressed  in  all  forms  and  fashions,  nearly  all  of  them 
barefooted.  There  were  six  or  eight  very  respectable 
looking  white  persons  present.  There  were  more 
than  three  hundred  school  children  present,  who 
performed  the  singing.  They  practise  every  day 
under  their  worthy  teacher,  Mr.  Boaza,  a  colored 
gentleman  of  high  standing  in  that  community. 
The  organ  and  the  player  are  just  behind  the  chil-  ■ 
dren,  who  are  instructed  in  all  the  arts  of  civilization. 
They  are  put  to  all  kinds  of  trades,  learning  of  ship- 
carpenters,  smiths,  tailors,  &c. 


120  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

I  attended  a  meeting  in  which  I  heard  a  colored 
man  preach  and  pray  in  the  native  tongue.  He  is 
one  of  the  natives,  and  having  experienced  religion, 
and  learned  to  read  the  Bible,  was  considered 
capable  of  explaining  it  to  the  natives  in  their  own 
language. 

I  trust  that  all  good  people  of  all  nations  will  be 
roused  up  to  the  great  work  of  civilizing  the  human 
family,  and  spreading  the  Gospel  throughout  the 
whole  world,  so  that  peace  and  tranquillity  may 
prevail  in  every  part  of  the  earth,  and  the  triumph- 
ant songs  of  redeemed  spirits  be  heard  in  every 
green  valley  and  upon  every  hill- top.  Then  will 
the  nations  learn  war  no  more,  and  all  tears  will  be 
wiped  from  the  eyes  of  the  mourners  in  Zion. 

The  only  way  to  redeem  Africa  is  to  settle  it  as 
soon  as  possible.  Take  hold  of  the  land,  cultivate  it, 
and  in  employing  the  natives,  cultivate  their  minds 
at  the  same  time  that  the  land  is  rendered  fruitful. 
Set  good  examples  before  them,  and  treat  them  well. 
In  that  way,  we  should  soon  gain  both  themselves 
and  the  land,  and  should  all  become  one  people  in 
manners,  habits,  and  religion.  Then  we  should  all 
become  full  citizens,  and  enjoy  all  the  privileges  of 
other  nations. 

The  minds  of  the  natives  and  the  land  are  just 


NECESSITY    OF    CULTIVATION.  121 

alike  while  uncultivated.    The  lands  want  ploughing 
up  and  sowing  down  with  grain,  and  the  differen 
kinds  of  herd  grass,  and  it  is  necessary  to  cross  the 
breed  of  their  flocks  and  herds. 

The  minds  of  the  natives  must  be  broken  up  with 
the  ploughshare  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  seeds  of  grace, 
love,  and  unitj^  must  be  planted  in  their  minds,  and 
they  will  bring  forth  much  fruit  to  the  glory  of  God, 
and  be  a  blessing  to  the  human  family.  I  see  that 
the  Law  and  Gospel  must  work  together  in  unity  for 
the  improvement  of  this  country  ;  and  when  brought 
to  bear  upon  it,  they  will  carry  everything  before 
them.  Darkness  and  heathen  principles  will  flee 
away,  and  wisdom  and  light  must  follow.  There- 
fore, we  have  nothing  to  fear  if  we  live  according  to 
the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ; 
for  it  will  then  go  well  with  us  in  time  and  in  eter- 
nity. If  the  Lord  is  for  us,  he  is  more  than  all  that 
are  against  us  :  therefore  will  I  ever  trust  Him  in 
all  things. 

I  saw  that  a  number  of  the  natives  had  joined  the 
Church  in  Monrovia,  and  had  become  good  mem- 
bers; and  still  more  of  them  are  coming  in.  They 
are  very  much  pleased  with  our  people,  and  always 
ready  to  serve  them.  Therefore  we  ought  to  treat 
them  well  in  all  things,  for  the  lands  were  in  their 
11 


122  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

possession  until  those  days  when  a  more  enlightened 
people  came  among  them.  They  want  more  minis- 
ters in  Liberia,  for  the  harvest  is  great  and  the  labor- 
ers are  few.  Therefore  pray  that  more  laborers  may 
be  sent  forth  into  the  vineyard. 

I  am  about  to  join  the  mission,  myself,  if  the  Lord 
be  pleased,  and  permit  me  so  to  do ;  for  I  always 
endeavor  to  obey  the  dictates  of 'the  Good  Spirit, 
knowing  that  in  doing  so,  I  am  sure  to  do  right. 

When  I  went  up  Saint  Paul's  River,  I  spent  about 
eight  days  at  the  Mission  House,  with  Mrs.  Wilkins, 
a  white  lady,  in  the  town  of  Millsburgh.  I  preached 
there  in  the  evening.  Saint  Paul's  is  a  fine  river 
for  steamboating ;  and  if  some  of  the  New- York 
go-ahead  citizens  were  to  put  a  steamboat  upon  its 
waters,  they  would  soon  become  rich  men.  If  a 
steamboat  ran  between  New- York  and  Africa,  there 
would  be  an  immense  trade  carried  on  of  great 
value  to  the  two  nations.  Besides,  there  are  about 
two  thousand  miles  of  distance  on  the  African  coast 
where  the  sea  is  as  calm  as  the  Hudson  or  Delaware 
^ver,  so  that  a  good  steamer  could  run  along  the 
toast  without  the  least  danger. 

The  flag  of  this  young  republic  is  one  star  and 
deven  sirijies.  We  trust  that  many  stars  will  be 
added,  until  all  this  quarter  of  the  globe  will  be 


WANT    OF    STEAMBOATS.  123 

brought  fully  under  the  Law  and  the  Gospel.  If  so, 
this  will  be  the  garden  spot  of  the  world.  In  Li- 
beria, three  parts  of  the  day  are  very  pleasant,  a 
fresh  breeze  blowing  in  from  the  sea.  The  nights 
and  days  are  always  equal,  twelve  hours  each.  The 
fruit  and  coffee  trees  are  bending  with  their  luscious 
burdens,  which,  with  many  other  valuable  articles 
ready  for  market,  are  held  at  disadvantage  for  want 
of  more  speedy  means  of  conveyance. 

There  are  a  great  many  very  respectable  colored 
people  in  Liberia.  If  I  must  speak  the  truth,  they 
seem  to  be  better  informed  than  those  who  are  in  the 
United  States.  The  Church  and  the  Sabbath-School 
are  conducted  as  orderly  as  among  us,  and  I  think 
are  doing  more  good,  in  every  respect,  than  ours. 

I  hope  that  the  good  citizens  of  the  United  States 
will  put  steamboats  between  New- York  and  Africa 
very  soon,  and  upon  the  waters  along  the  coast, 
wherever  emigrants  may  be  settled  from  any  part 
of  the  world.  The  boats  would  all  pay  well :  there- 
fore, gentlemen,  you  have  nothing  to  fear.  Go 
a-head,  and  you  will  be  successful,  and  will  do  much 
towards  building  up  this  young  Republic. 

I  say  of  a  truth,  that  if  the  colored  people  neglect 
to  embrace  or  refus-e  this  noble  opportunity  now 
offered  to  them,  and  let  it  fall  and  come  to  nothing, 


i24  THE   LOOKING-GLASS. 

they  will  never  rise  above  their  present  condition. 
They  will  be  doomed  to  slavery  forever.  But  I 
have  a  better  opinion  of  my  colored  brethren  in  the 
United  States.  I  trust  that  all  of  them  will  see  and 
know  that  it  is  upon  this  noble  enterprise  of  settling 
Liberia,  that  the  salvation  of  the  whole  colored  popu- 
lation depends.  It  depends  upon  our  own  actions 
and  efforts  to  do  our  duty,  and  to  secure  our  rights 
and  liberties  in  Monrovia,  Liberia — a  land  that  has 
been  kept  and  preserved  for  us  for  thousands  of 
years :  and  now  the  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the  friends 
of  the  colored  race  have  opened  a  door  for  us  that 
we  might  enter  in  and  enjoy  our  rights  and  privileges 
without  money  and  without  price.  In  a  few  years, 
the  independence  of  Liberia  will  be  acknowledged 
by  all  nations. 

I  think  that  Cape  Mount  is  a  rich  and  beautiful 
part  of  Africa,  and  when  cultivated  and  the  inhabit- 
ants civilized,  will  be  a  very  desirable  place  of  resi- 
dence. A  great  deal  of  wealth  is  yet  to  be  obtained 
from  that  elevated  portion  of  Africa.  In  fact,  it  is  a 
pleasant  country  throughout ;  all  things  are  plenty, 
the  leaves  are  all  green,  the  sufferings  of  slavery  are 
nowhere  to  be  seen,  all  men  enjoying  their  rights 
and  liberties  under  their  own  vine  and  fig-tree,  with 
none  to  make  them  afraid. 


CIVILIZATION    OF    AFRICA.  125 

All  those  who  are  not  friends  to  the  settlement  of 
Liberia,  are  no  friends  to  the  African  race,  nor  to 
themselves  or  their  country.  A  great  many  people 
are  prejudiced  by  stupid  reports  founded  upon  ig- 
norance and  idle  conjecture.  But  the  colored  man 
who  is  wise,  will  do  like  the  Queen  of  Sheba ;  he 
will  go  and  judge  for  himself,  and  then  he  will  say 
that  this  work  is  of  the  Lord.  He  has  prospered 
our  labors  thus  far,  and  with  his  help,  we  are  bound 
to  go  on  in  this  noble  enterprise,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  African  nation,  who  are  as  precious  in  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord  as  any  other  nation  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth.  What  a  blessing  it  is  that  the  people  of  the 
United  States  have  laid  a  foundation  for  us  sure  and 
steadfast !  We  trust,  therefore,  that  every  wise  man 
will  see  eye  to  eye  on  this  subject,  and  lay  aside  all 
opposition.  Let  every  one  join  in  this  noble  work, 
and  all  the  sons  of  Africa  will  soon  be  free,  and  reli- 
gion and  civilization  will  spread  over  that  great 
quarter  of  the  earth,  to  the  glory  and  honor  of  the 
blessed  Son,  and  the  happiness  of  the  human  family, 
and  to  the  praise  and  prosperity  of  the  United  States, 
which  the  Lord  has  made  the  instrument  for  bring- 
ing about  this  great  deliverance  for  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  Africa.  It  may  be  the  means  of  civili- 
zing the  whole  world  of  mankind,  and  also  fulfilling 
11* 


126  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

the  Scriptures  of  Truth,  which  say  that  the  Gospel 
of  the  Kingdom  shall  be  preached  unto  all  the  world 
for  a  witness,  and  then  shall  the  end  come.  Oh  ! 
that  this  great  republic  may  be  the  agent  in  fully 
accomplishing  this  great  and  glorious  work,  so  that 
an  everlasting  blessing  of  peace  and  happiness  may 
rest  upon  this  land  and  nation ! 

There  is  no  newspaper  published  in  any  of  the 
places  which  I  visited  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  I 
think  that  if  such  men  as  Mr.  Frederick  Douglass 
would  give  their  time,  attention,  and  talent  to  Libe- 
ria, they  would  do  more  good  in  one  year,  than  they 
can  in  a  whole  life-time  in  the  United  States.  They 
would  make  five  times  as  much  money,  and  impart 
instruction  and  civilization  to  our  heathen  brethren. 
There  we  may  do  a  great  deal  of  good  without 
opposition  or  confusion ;  for  many  things  which  we 
are  endeavoring  to  do  in  the  United  States,  are  like 
pouring  water  upon  a  goose's  back ;  it  has  but  little 
or  no  effect.  Therefore  such  labors  are  of  no  value 
at  all.  We  hope  that  all  persons  who  wish  the 
colored  man  well,  will  give  their  aid  and  attention 
to  this  noble  work,  so  that  light  and  the  Gospel  may 
soon  spread  over  that  dark  and  benighted  land  of 
oui  forefathers  in  Africa. 

1  must  confess,  that  at  one  time  I  was  blinded, 


GOVERNMENT    OF   LIBERIA.  1 2*7 

like  many  of  you,  to  these  important  matters  which 
regard  the  welfare  of  the  colored  population :  but  I 
now  see  plainly  what  must  and  will  be  done,  for 
their  general  good  and  elevation ;  and  I  thank  the 
Lord  that  the  work  is  commenced,  and,  with  his 
blessing,  will  go  on. 

Now  let  me  make  a  few  remarks  to  the  humane 
rulers  of  this  new  Republic  :  Gentlemen,  I  have  had 
the  pleasure  and  honor  of  visiting  your  well-founded 
government,  with  which  I  am  very  much  pleased 
indeed,  and  I  am  under  a  thousand  obligations  both 
to  the  chief  officers  of  State  and  Church,  for  their 
Christian  fellowship,  and  kind,  gentlemanly  treat- 
ment while  I  was  among  you.  I  had  never  before 
seen  freedom  and  liberty  existing  among  our  people, 
until  I  saw  it  in  Monrovia,  Liberia,  Africa,  under 
the  administration  of  his  excellency  President  J.  J. 
Roberts,  and  his  wise  counsel,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1854.  There  is  nothing  to  be  compared  with 
this  on  the  face  of  the  earth  for  the  colored  nation, 
nor  ever  has  been  since  the  days  of  Noah.  If  we 
neglect  this  great  opportunity,  we  shall  be  undone 
forever,  in  a  temporal  point  of  view.  Now,  to  the 
rulers  of  this  republic :  forasmuch  as  the  Lord  has 
blessed  you,  and  has  lifted  you  up  above  your  fellow- 
men,  and  has  set  you  up  on  high — whether  in  Church 


128  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

or  State — it  is  for  you  to  take  heed  to  yourselves. 
In  all  your  doings,  remember  the  commandments 
of  the  Lord.  Do  not  oppress  the  poor,  the  father- 
less, the  widow,  nor  the  stranger.  Do  unto  all  men 
as  you  would  like  to  have  them  do  unto  you.  Con- 
sider well  the  natives  of  that  great  quarter  of  the 
earth.  It  has  been  theirs  for  nearly  four  thousand 
years.  They,  truly,  were  the  sole  proprietors :  but 
we  see  that  sin  and  idolatry  have  brought  them  to 
their  present,  low,  degraded  position.  Now,  all  they 
want  is  good  government,  good  rulers,  good  instruc- 
tions, and  good  treatment.  If  they  have  these,  they 
will  all  be  brought  in,  and  we  will  become  a  great 
nation,  for  the  good  of  all  mankind,  and  to  the  glory 
and  honor  of  our  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ, 

Therefore,  let  us  be  very  careful  how  we  deal  with 
those  natives,  lest  we  bring  upon  ourselves  a  reproach 
and  incur  the  displeasure  of  the  blessed  Lord,  and 
be  finally  driven  out  of  that  land  in  a  more  degraded 
condition  than  the  present  natives  are  at  this  time. 
And  now,  as  the  Lord  has  placed  wise  and  good 
men  at  the  head  of  the  government  in  Liberia,  we 
pray  that  there  may  be  always  good  men  to  fill 
the  important  offices  of  State.  If  not,  let  the  same 
remain  in  office  who  have  been  faithful  in  the  fulfil- 


THE   DUTT    OF   MANKIND.  129 

ment  of  their  duties  from  the  commencement  of  the 
Republic  up  to  the  present  time.  Bad  men  make 
bad  governments :  good  men  make  good  govern- 
ments. 

In  conclusion,  I  must  say  that  it  is  the  duty  of  all 
persons  to  seek  the  peace  and  happiness  of  their 
families,  neighbors,  Churches,  States  and  nations. 
The  way  to  obtain  these  blessings  is  to  commence 
early  :  the  heads  of  every  family  to  give  early  instruc- 
tion to  their  children ;  teach  them  to  love  and  fear 
the  Lord ;  teach  them  to  love  and  obey  their  parents ; 
teach  them  to  love  themselves  and  respect  their 
neighbors ;  teach  them  to  conduct  kindly  towards  all 
mankind;  teach  them  to  love  the  ministers  of  the 
Gospel  and  the  Church  of  Christ;  teach  them  to 
respect  and  obey  magistrates,  principal  men,  and 
those  who  are  in  power ;  teach  them  to  love  their 
books,  and  the  use  and  benefit  of  learning. 

If  you,  as  fathers  and  mothers,  will  carry  out  these 
duties,  I  can  assure  you  that  you  will  have  happy 
families,  good  neighbors,  Christian  Churches,  peace- 
able nations ;  and  the  blessing  of  the  Lord  will  rest 
upon  you  and  yours  forever. 

If  you  desire  that  your  children  should  be  respec- 
table, give  them  trades,  and  all  the  learning  that 
you  possibly  can.    Let  them  understand  reading  and 


130  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

writing  well.  Give  them  a  full  knowledge  of  arith- 
metic, grammar,  geography,  navigation,  and  men- 
suration ;  and  let  them  learn  every  other  useful 
science  and  art  that  they  possibly  can.  It  will  do 
them  good,  and  be  a  blessing  to  themselves  and 
others. 

I  pray  that  the  rulers  of  nations,  ministers  of 
Churches,  heads  of  families,  and  all  those  who  have 
charge  of  the  rising  generation,  will  please  consider 
these  important  matters  well ;  and  if  they  are  fully 
carried  out,  in  a  fewr  years  you  will  have  a  heaven 
upon  the  earth  ;  and  what  a  noble  blessing  it  will 
be  to  that  young  and  flourishing  Republic,  Liberia, 
in  Western  Africa,  and  to  the  colored  population 
throughout  the  world ! 

There  is  the  Rev.  Mr.  Home,  in  Monrovia,  a  real 
Christian  and  gentleman,  who  has  done,  and  is  doing 
all  the  good  he  can,  by  preaching  to  colored  people 
in  Liberia.  He  is  chief  teacher  in  the  academy  also. 
He  is  a  white  brother,  faithful  and  worthy.  I  hope 
that  the  good  people  of  the  States  will  not  let  him 
suffer.  There  is  Mrs.  Ann  Wilkins  also,  who,  as 
well  as  Mr.  Home,  has  been  there  a  long  time,  and 
both  have  done  a  great  deal  of  good.  They  must 
be  cared  for.  Mrs.  Wilkins  intends  shortly  to  return 
home ;  and  Mr.  C.  A.  Pitman  and  Miss  Sarah  M, 


THE   REV.    BAMUEI    "WILLIAMS.  131 

Reynolds,  both  colored  persons,  will  remain  as  teach- 
ers. Mr.  Phillips,  a  colored  brother,  teaches  on  the 
lower  floor,  and  is  a  worthy  man  also. 

Let  every  soul  in  every  station 
Join  their  assistance,  who  can  tell 

But  God  may  turn  and  bless  this  nation, — 
Let  no  contention  among  them  dwell. 

May  the  blessed  Lord  ever  bless  the  labors  of  his 
faithful  servants  in  all  places. 


Before  concluding,  the  Author  would  draw  the 
attention  of  the  reader  to  the  case  of  the  Rev.  Samuel 
"Williams,  of  whom  mention  is  made  at  page  85,  as 
being  one  worthy  of  notice. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Williams,  an  Elder,  and  one  of 
the  most  respectable  inhabitants  of  Johnstown,  in 
Western  Pennsylvania,  some  time  since,  visited  Li- 
beria with  his  son,  16  years  of  age,  who  was  very 
sick ;  and  after  remaining  there  a  year,  returned  to 
the  United  States  with  his  son,  entirely  recovered, 
m  good  health,  and  greatly  improved  in  growth  and 
appearance.  His  mother  was  so  rejoiced  on  seeing 
her  child  fully  restored  to  health,  he  having  been 
sickly  from  infancy,  that  she  determined  at  once  to 
remove  to  Liberia,  Western  Africa,  and  there  to 


132  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

dwell,  with  the  blessing  of  the  Lord.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Williams  took  all  his  family  with  him,  young  and 
old,  including  his  respectable  and  venerable  mother, 
nearly  ninety  years  of  age,  and  was  accompanied  by 
jaore  than  thirty  of  the  most  respectable  colored 
persons  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  They  em- 
barked in  the  good  bark  Isla  de  Cuba,  at  the  same 
time  as  the  Author  of  this  work,  and  arrived  there 
safe,  and  in  good  health.  The  Author  visited  them 
previous  to  his  departure,  and  found  them  very  com- 
fortable and  pleasantly  situated,  and  well  pleased 
with  the  country — the  old  lady  sitting  on  the  porch 
apparently  as  happy  as  the  Queen  of  Shebah.  They 
testified  to  their  preference  for  that  young  and  flou- 
rishing Republic  of  the  Single  Star  and  eleven  stripes. 
May  the  Lord  prosper  it  forever ! 

The  Hon.  J.  J.  Roberts,  at  present  President  of 
the  Republic  of  Liberia,  Africa,  stands  higher,  in  a 
national  point  of  view,  than  any  colored  person  in 
the  United  States,  or  in  any  other  portion  of  the 
known  civilized  world. 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS.  133 


CONCLUDING  REMARKS. 

I  thank  the  Lord  that  he  has  raised  up  many 
kind  friends  to  the  colored  people,  who  are  willing 
to  aid  them  in  obtaining  a  resting  place,  so  that 
they  shall  no  more  be  driven  about  the  earth,  with- 
out a  home  and  without  a  country,  mere  hewers  of 
wood  and  drawers  of  water  for  those  who  are  more 
favored  by  the  laws  and  customs  of  those  countries 
in  which  they  live. 

There  are  many  such  good  friends  to  us  in  the 
United  States,  and  particularly  in  New- York  and 
New-Jersey,  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  high  standing, 
of  wealth  and  intelligence,  and  of  most  exemplary 
lives  and  the  most  exalted  piety,  who  have  devoted 
their  time  and  their  talents  to  our  benefit,  in  ordei 
that  they  may  provide  a  home  and  a  country  foi 
my  afflicted  nation.  Among  these  are  the  following 
names,  which  I  give  in  this  place,  in  order  that  my 
12 


134  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

colored  brethren  and  sisters  may  know  upon  whom 
they  may  depend  : 

Hon.  Anson  G.  Phelps,  the  distinguished  Christian 
and  Philanthropist. 

A.  G.  Phelps,  Jr.  Esq.,  the  Rising  Star  of  the  Em- 
pire City. 

Hon.  J.  A.  Westervelt,  Mayor  of  New-York. 

E.  Canning,  Esq. 

Robert  Lewis,  Esq.,  No.  209  Fulton  street. 

O.  B.  Porter,  Esq. 

E.  Harrison,  Esq.,  who  promises  to  aid  the  Author 

R.  Bowler,  Esq. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Wakely,  Forsyth  street. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Pinney,  Bible  House. 

Rev.  Mr.  Jessop,  Second  street. 

Robert  P.  Cune,  Esq. 

P.  S.  Peet,  Esq. 

Mr.  Kelso. 

Mrs.  Few. 

Rev.  Dr.  Cox,  Brooklyn. 

Rev.  E.  Johnson. 

Rev.  Mr.  Whitaker,  M.  E.  Church. 

W.  C.  Barker,  Esq. 

David  S.  Holmes,  Esq. 

Mrs.  Pierrepont. 

T.  Price,  Esq. 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS.  135 

J.  Beebe,  Esq. 
H.  L.  Williams. 

D.  Galliway,  Esq.,  Grand  street. 
Messrs  Phillips  &  Hadley. 
Mrs.  Eliza  Doughty. 

Mr.  Marven,  Water  street. 

Joseph  Hegerman,  Esq. 

S.  Knowlton,  Esq. 

Mr.  Ward,  Greene  street. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bond,  Greenwich  street. 

Dr.  W.  W.  Hall,  Ewen  Place. 

Rev.  Mr.  Benning,  East  Twenty-Eighth  street 

Rev.  M.  Bell,  Brooklyn. 

E.  Spencer,  Esq. 
John  B.  Wilson,  Esq. 

Hon.  D.  S.  Manners,  Mayor  of  Jersey  City. 

B.  B.  Grinnell,  Esq. 

G.  W.  Cassidy,  Esq. 

J.  J.  H.  Beck,  Esq. 

A.  G.  Mason,  Esq. 

Joseph  Kissam,  Esq. 

Henry  Demarest,  Esq. 

John  D.  Jones,  Esq. 

S.  Davidson,  Esq. 

M.  Daniels,  Esq. 

David  Taylor,  Esq. 


136  THE   LOOKING-GLASS 

A.  A.  Dean,  Esq. 
George  Peters,  Esq. 
W.  E.  Whiting,  Esq. 
Dr.  S.  P.  Townsend. 
Stephen  Willets. 
J.  W.  Knapp,  Esq. 

Dr.  N.  A.  G 

Dr.  D.  E.  C 

Wm.  Janeway,  Esq. 
R.  Minturn,  Esq. 
J.  Chandler,  Esq. 
R.  H.  Hopkins,  Esq. 
H.  M.  Schieffelin,  Esq. 
Mrs.  A.  G.  Phelps. 

AT    ROME    AND   UTICA. 

Hon.  Seth  Roberts,  Judge. 

Hon.  E.  Huntington  and  Brother. 

C.  Cornstock,  Esq.,  Editor. 

Messrs.  A.  S.  Sanford  &  Co.,  Editors. 

P.  Ainsworth,  Esq. 

Hon.  Judge  P.  Gridley. 

N.  H.  Dering,  Esq. 

0.  B.  Mattison,  Esq. 

H.  Green,  Esq. 

Dr.  G.  W.  Pope. 

S.  W.  Moody. 

H.  Rogers. 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS.  137 

Mrs.  Blanchard,  61  State  street,  Brooklyn. 

Mrs.  Jacobs,  11  Henry  street, 

Dr.  Jackson,  Albany. 

Mrs.  Delavan. 

Mrs.  Bosely. 

Mrs.  Bradford,  (of  the  Boudinot  Family,)  Burling- 
ton, N.  J. 
With  many  other  kind,  liberal,  and  humane  friends 
whom  we  shall  mention  in  a  second  edition. 

The  Author  is  fully  satisfied  that  nothing  can  ele- 
vate the  colored  population  to  an  equality  with  the 
rest  of  mankind,  but  the  full  and  free  enjoyment,  in 
a  national  point  of  view,  of  civil  and  religious  rights, 
in  addition  to  a  system  of  universal  education. 

The  benevolent  ladies  of  the  United  States  are 
the  main-spring,  movers,  and  sustainers  of  the  Chris- 
tian Churches,  and  all  humane  and  benevolent  in- 
stitutions. 

Although  I  am  happy  to  see  there  are  many  kind 
noble-hearted  and  liberal  citizens  in  the  city  of  New- 
York,  both  gentlemen  and  ladies,  there  is  a  large 
number  said  to  be  our  best  friends,  who  are  some- 
what left-handed  and  very  close,  only  aiding  one 
way,  let  the  distress  of  others  be  as  it  will.  This  is 
not  according  to  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Savioui 
Jesus  Christ. 
12* 


138  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

I  do  truly  and  sincerely  thank  those  benevolent 
ladies  and  gentlemen  of  New- York  and  New-Jersey, 
to  whom  we  are  so  much  indebted,  and  pray  that 
all  the  blessings  of  this  life  and  that  which  is  to 
come,  may  forever  surround  them — in  this  world, 
health,  prosperity  and  happiness,  and  in  the  next, 
life  everlasting. 

Owing  to  the  want  of  time,  and  the  desire  of  the 
people  to  see  this  report  of  my  visit  to  Liberia,  the 
Author  has  made  but  little  mention  of  his  labors  in 
this  country,  subsequently  to  leaving  Bethel  Church 
of  Philadelphia.  In  a  second  edition,  he  will  endea- 
vor to  be  more  full  on  that  point.  It  may  not  be 
amiss,  however,  to  append  a  few  certificates  delivered 
me  by  friends  in  Rome,  State  of  New- York : 

(  CERTIFICATES.  ) 

"  Rev.  D.  H.  Peterson  has  faithfully  finished  his 
services  in  behalf  of  the  colored  Church  at  Rome, 
Oneida  County,  New- York,  which  Church  is  now 
free  from  all  embarrassments.  He  has  for  a  long 
time  been  laboring  to  instruct  and  improve  his  breth- 
ren spiritually  and  temporally,  but  he  is  led  fully 
to  believe  that  their  prospects  here  are  not  very 
Therefore,  many  of  his  best  friends, 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS.  139 

both  white  and  colored,  have  advised  him  to  go  to 
Liberia  in  Africa,  and  see  if  the  prospects  are  not 
better  in  that  young  Republic,  where  his  brethren 
can  become  full  citizens  at  once,  and  freeholders, 
and  enjoy  all  the  comforts  and  privileges  of  the 
country  both  in  Church  and  State, — where  all  may 
become  a  happy  and  religious  people,  and,  if  faith- 
ful among  themselves,  may  eventually  be  the  instru- 
ments in  the  hands  of  the  Lord  to  restore  that  dark 
and  great  quarter  of  the  Earth  to  civilization,  toge- 
ther with  the  light  of  the  Gospel  and  its  pure  teach- 
ings, that  will  bring  an  everlasting  blessing  upon  all 
who  are  now,  and  have  been,  instrumental  in  carry- 
ing out  this  great  and  noble  work.  He  is  now 
ready  to  comply  with  the  advice  of  his  friends  and 
brethren,  as  soon  as  practicable.  We,  therefore, 
cheerfully  recommend  him,  and  sincerely  hope  he 
will  meet  with  favor  and  aid  from  all,  more  espe- 
cially the  Christian  community  ai  large." 


"TO    ALL    WHOM    THIS    MAY    CONCERN! 

We,  colored  citizens  of  Rome,  State  of  New- 
York,  do  hereby  certify,  that  the  Rev.  D.  H.  Peter- 
son has,  for  the  last  three  years,  been  employed  in 
erecting  a  Church  at  Rome,  which  he  has   fully 


140  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

accomplished.  We  now  have  a  comfortable,  neat 
house  of  worship,  all  paid  for,  and  balance  over. 
We  found  him  faithful,  and  perfectly  honest  in  his 
undertaking.  We,  therefore,  cheerfully  recommend 
him  to  all.  THOMAS  JOHNSON, 

SAMUEL  DEBOIS, 
WM.  JOHNSON, 
STEPHEN  THOMPSON, 
GEORGE  GILBERT, 
HIRAM  GILBERT, 
MARGARET  GILBERT. 
Rome,  Nov.  30th,  1852." 


"  The  bearer,  Rev.  Daniel  H.  Peterson,  has  been 
an  agent  in  the  ministry  for  the  colored  people,  in 
Western  New- York,  two  or  three  years  past,  in  col- 
lecting funds  to  build  Churches.  He  has  been  a 
faithful  agent,  and  I  believe  him  to  be  a  worthy  man 
and  a  Christian.  Anything  you  can  do  for  him  will 
be  thankfully  received,  and  bestowed  upon  a  deserv- 
ing person.  JAMES  ERWIN, 

Pastor  M.  E.  Church,  Fulton,  Oswego  Co.,  N.  Y." 

"  I  am  acquainted  with  the  Rev.  Daniel  H.  Pe- 
terson, and  fully  concur  with  the  above   recom- 


CONCLUDING   REMARKS.  141 

mendation  and  statement  of  the  Rev.  James  Erwin, 
in  relation  to  the  bearer. 

SETH  B.  ROBERTS, 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 
Rome,  Nov.  22,  1852." 


The  following  is  a  true  copy  of  a  letter  received 
by  the  Rev.  D.  H.  Peterson,  from  His  Excellency 
J.  J.  Roberts,  President  of  the  Republic  of  Li- 
beria, in  Western  Africa,  written  in  Monrovia,  the 
Capital  of  Liberia.  The  author  has  preserved  the 
original. 

"  Government  House, 
Monrovia,  Jarfy  \±th,  1854. 
TJiis  is  to  certify  that  the  Rev.  D.  H.  Peterson, 
from  the  city  of  Nexo-  York,  United  States  of  North 
America,  has  visited  Liberia  for  the  purpose  of  ma- 
king observations  respecting  the  condition,  d'c.  of  this 
country,  for  the  information  of  his  colored  friends  in 
the  United  States.  During  his  visit,  though  short, 
the  Rev.  Gentleman,  I  believ-e,  has  been  indefatigable 
in  his  efforts  to  obtain  correct  information  on  all 


142  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

subjects  of  interest  connected  with  this  Government, 
And  I  am  happy  to  find  that  he  is  well  pleased,  and 
expressed  himself  highly  gratified  with  the  country, 
and  the  prospects  of  the  people. 

J.  J.  ROBERTS:* 


"January  17th,  1854. 
I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  an  introduction  to  th& 
Rev.  D.  H.  Peterson,  from  New- York,  in  the  U.  S. 
of  North  America.  He  is  now  on  a  visit  to  this 
country.  I  have  met  him  in  company,  at  different 
times  and  places.  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  hear- 
ing him  speak  in  the  Churches  in  public,  and  on 
private  occasions.  He  came  to  this  country  on  a 
mission  to  the  Government  and  Churches.  I  am 
happy  to  say,  that  he  appears  to  be  highly  pleased 
with  the  country,  Government  and  Church,  and  what- 
ever came  under  his  observation  in  Liberia  and  the 
adjacent  settlements,  and  will,  no  doubt,  give  a  cor- 
rect and  satisfactory  report  upon  his  return  to  the 
United  States  of  America.  Our  prayers  are  for  his 
protection  on  land  and  by  sea,  and  his  safe  return  to 
his  family,  and  the  people,  and  the  nation  from  whom 
he  came,  and  that  the  blessings  of  the  Almighty  may 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS.  143 

attend  his  mission  and  all  those  who  are  interested 
in  the  welfare  of  those  people. 

Rev.  JAMES  W.  HORNE, 
Principal  of  the  Academy,  Monrovia,  Capital  of  the 
Republic  of  Liberia." 


144  THE    LOQKING-GLASi. 


Extract  from  the  Jersey  City  Sentinel  and  Advert 
tiser,  of  March  11,  1854. 

Missionary  Intelligence  from  Africa. — The 
barque  Isla  de  Cuba,  Capt.  A.  Miller,  29  days  from 
Gambia,  West  Coast  of  Africa,  has  just  arrived  at 
New- York.  Among  the  passengers  we  notice  the 
following  :  Rev.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lacy,  missionaries  at 
Lagos ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  Forsyth,  of  Gambia ;  and 
Rev.  D.  H.  Peterson,  a  very  intelligent  and  useful 
colored  clergyman. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  Mr.  Peterson,  (who  pub- 
lishes a  card  in  another  column,)  visited  this  city  last 
fall,  to  solicit  aid  in  a  very  laudable  undertaking. 
He  left  New-York  in  November  last,  for  Liberia, 
aided  by  gentlemen  and  ladies  here,  and  in  other 
parts  of  the  country,  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the 
African  population  in  the  United  States,  to  examine 
and  report  upon  the  condition  and  prospects  of  the 
new  Republic.  Mr.  Peterson  arrived  at  Monrovia 
the  last  of  November,  and  spent  upwards  of  two 


THE    LOOKING-GLASS.  145 

months  in  the  country.  The  Legislature  of  the 
Republic  was  in  session  at  the  time,  and  Mr.  Peter- 
son was  consequently  enabled  to  gather  from  Repre- 
sentatives of  the  more  remote  districts,  ample  infor- 
mation pertaining  to  the  condition  of  their  constit- 
uents. In  Monrovia  he  was  treated  with  great  hos- 
pitality, having  been  entertained  by  the  chief  func- 
tionaries of  the  Government,  and  by  the  principal 
citizens.  He  enjoyed  uninterrupted  health,  and 
reported  that  to  have  been  common  to  the  inhabit- 
ants generally  at  the  period  of  his  visit. 

The  capital  and  country  presented  every  indication 
of  prosperity.  A  general  sentiment  of  contentment 
pervaded  the  population.  Industry  was  everywhere 
pursued,  and  thrift  and  comfort  followed  in  its  train. 
Mr.  Peterson  preferred  the  aspect  of  the  Republic, 
in  those  respects,  to  that  of  the  British  settlements. 
Liberty,  equality,  and  self-government,  exhibit  in 
Liberia  their  benignant  influence. 

Mr.  Peterson  went  from  Monrovia  in  the  English 
mail  steamer  Hope,  to  Gambia,  touching  at  Sierra 
Leone.  Among  his  fellow-passengers  was  Mr.  Abm. 
Caldwell,  of  New- York,  who  visited  Liberia  as  an 
agent  of  a  New- York  Agricultural  Association,  part 
of  whom  have  already  emigrated  to  the  Republic. 
Mr.  C.  was  unwell  on  leaving  Monrovia,  and  in  the 
13 


146  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

progress  of  the  voyage  his  illness  increased  so  as  to 
endanger  his  life.  An  attempt  on  the  part  of  one 
of  the  stewards  of  the  ship  to  induce  the  dying  man 
to  bequeath  to  him  his  effects  was  foiled  by  the 
interference  of  Mr.  Peterson,  who  rebuked  the  mer- 
cenary spirit  of  the  interloper,  and  succeeded  in  pre- 
serving for  the  wife  and  children  of  the  emigrant,  his 
watch  and  clothing.  Mr.  Caldwell  survived  till  the 
steamer  reached  Sierra  Leone ;  he  was  landed  about 
3  P.  M.  and  died  at  about  eight  the  same  evening^ 
while  under  the  care  of  a  competent  physician  and 
nurse.  His  remains  were  interred  the  next  afternoon 
in  the  Queen's  burying-yard,  with  every  appropriate 
demonstration  of  respect.  Mr.  Jones,  the  Episcopal 
clergyman  of  the  place,  reading  the  funeral  service. 
Mr.  P.  having  expended  all  the  money  contributed 
to  pay  the  cost  of  his  tour,  solicits  contributions  for 
his  support,  while  engaged  in  completing  the  object 
of  his  mission. 


THE   LOOKING-GLASS  147 


Testimonial  of  the  Passengers  on  board  the 
Isla  de  Cuba. 

Barque  Isla  de  Cuba, 
Approaching  the  Port  of  Monrovia,  W.  A. 
December  17,  1853. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  passengers  held  to  express 
their  feelings  in  regard  to  the  excellent  qualities  and 
conveniences  of  the  barque,  and  their  high  apprecia- 
tion of  her  officers,  the  Rev.  D.  H.  Peterson  was 
called  to  the  chair,  and  A.  Washington  and  William 
Nesbitt  appointed  Secretaries.  After  prayer,  by 
Rev.  Samuel  Williams,  and  thanksgiving  to  God  for 
his  mercy  and  kind  protection  in  guiding  us  safely 
over  the  boisterous  seas  and  through  violent  storms, 
and  permitting  us  to  gaze  over  the  sunny  hills  and 
verdant  vales  of  our  long-desired  and  adopted  land, 
a  brief,  eloquent,  and  appropriate  address  was  deli- 
vered by  Mr.  Alfred  Truman.  After  this,  the  Com- 
mittee reported  the  following  resolutions,  which  were 
unanimously  adopted : 


148  THE    LOOKING-GLASS. 

Resolved,  That  we  hereby  return  our  thanks  to 
Capt.  Austin  Miller,  master  of  the  barque  Isla  de 
Cuba,  and  Messrs.  H.  K.  Hatch  and  McGill,  first 
and  second  mates,  whose  kind  attention  and  gentle- 
manly conduct  towards  us  during  our  passage,  both 
in  sickness  and  in  health,  have  secured  for  them  a 
grateful  place  in  our  memory,  and  whose  prompt 
attention  and  skill  in  guiding  their  barque  safely 
through  perilous  storms,  have  convinced  us  that  they 
are  able  and  efficient  officers. 

Resolved,  That  duty  and  justice  to  ourselves  and 
our  friends  in  America,  compel  us  to  express  our 
thanks  to  the  American  philanthropists,  and  record 
the  fact  that,  so  far  as  we  have  yet  seen,  they  have 
freely  done  all  for  us  that  they  have  promised,  and 
that  we  see  nothing  that  tends  to  deprive  us,  in  the 
least,  of  our  free  agency,  and  they,  in  this,  as  well 
as  in  former  cases,  have  spared  no  pains  in  assisting 
the  emigrants  in  their  preparation,  and  in  fitting 
out  this  expedition  with  an  abundance  of  the  best 
provisions  that  the  markets  afford,  and  in  many  acts 
of  kindness,  at  their  own  expense  and  labor. 

Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  our  friends  in 
the  North  who  may  wish  at  any  time  to  emigrate  to 
Africa,  to  secure  their  passage  from  the  port  of  New- 
York,  both  for  convenience  and  comfort,  and  the 


THE    LOOKING-GLASS.  149 

greater  facilities  for  obtaining  everything  necessary 
for  the  passage  and  for  trade. 

Resolved,  That  the  Committee  present  copies  of 
these  resolutions  to  the  Captain  of  the  Isla  de  Cuba, 
and  to  the  Editors  of  those  papers  which  are  friendly 
to  the  emancipation  of  the  colored  population. 

Rev.  D.  H.  PETERSON, 
Chairman. 
A.  WASHINGTON, 
WM.  NESBITT, 

Secretaries. 

ABRAM  CALDWELL. 

JNO.  H.  M.  HARRIS. 

JOSEPH  P.  BROOKS. 

THOMAS  LILLASON. 

EDMUND  BROWN. 

A.  JOHN. 

DARIUS  JACKLIN. 

SYLVANUS  JACKLIN. 

Rev.  SAMUEL  WILLIAMS. 


13* 


150  THE   LOOKING-GLASS, 


CHURCH  COLLECTIONS. 

On  Sabbath-days  the  Collections  made  in  many 
of  the  Churches  in  the  United  States  are  very 
badly  managed.  Much  better  plans  might  be  adopt- 
ed than  are  now  in  use  in  many  of  the  Churches, 
both  in  cities  and  villages.  Preaching  three  times 
a  day,  a  call  is  made  at  the  end  of  each  sermon  for 
money,  &c,  which  destroys  the  good  effect  of  the 
instruction  just  received  by  the  congregation.  Ar- 
rangements should  be  made  with  the  members,  and 
others  who  favor  Church  governments,  to  appoint 
one  day  in  the  week  or  month,  and  then  pay  in 
whatever  amount  they  may  be  able  for  the  support 
of  the  Church,  &c,  and  thereby  let  the  Sabbath  be 
wholly  set  apart  for  Spiritual  services. 

The  Author,  in  making  the  suggestion,  earnestly 
prays  that  the  above  principles  may  be  adopted  in 
all  Christian  Churches. 


J&2T  Any  communications  for  the  Author  may 
be  left  with  Dr.  R.  F.  Hibbard,  No.  93  John  street ; 
or  with  Mrs.  Hardy,  at  No.  35  Wall  street,  (Mr. 
Furniss'  office,  No.  27,  in  the  rear.) 


